Sketch Dump
by The Knight of Thirteen
Summary: Over the last few years, i have started to write a long Bleach story many many times, and never had the drive, nor the plot to tie everything together. I have generated an alarming number of little snippets, and i have decided to dump them for anyone who may be interested in attempting to make this story themselves, or who would like to discuss it with me. PMs are welcome!
1. Chapter 1

It was a cool morning, the sun pushing through the clouds above the horizon, and a gentle breeze washing over them all. Ichigo stretched and yawned, not bothering to sit up. He knew he should be in his office, working through today's mountain of paperwork, but this morning he had decided to take one more lesson from his mentors.

Shunsui Kyoraku had taught him to weild his dual Zanpakuto like a true master. Shinji Hirako had set him on the path to mastering his Hollowfication, although he had taken a different path in the end. Kisuke Urahara had taught him strategy and his most basic skills. But the one thing that all three had taught him, was that once in a while, you needed to take a break.

His white captain's haori was folded up and tucked under his head as a small pillow. His sealed Zanpakuto was resting on his stomach, his hands folded comfortably over the hilt. Not that anyone would dare attack him. He was firmly ranked as one of the five most dangerous souls to ever exist by the Quincy King himself. The man should have taken that as a sign not to start a war with the orange haired man on the other side.

He had kicked off his shoes, an old pair of sneakers he had snuck in from the world of the living rather than the sandels that he was technically supposed to wear. His bare feet dangled in the gently flowing river that wound its way past the Thirteenth Division, his hakama rolled up to just below his knees to keep out of the water.

He hadn't imagined how good this would feel when Shunsui had told him about it, but he had to admit, he understood why the man used to spend so much time here. It sure beat paperwork.

To his left, mirroring him perfectly, was the white haired, white skinned manifestation of his Hollow and Shinigami powers. On his right, sitting at the water's edge and staring off into the distance was the manifestation of his Quincy powers. It was a good thing he was out of sight of the the general population of the Seireitei. He didn't want to think about the panic that would arise if someone thought Yhwach was back.

Here, there were only a handful of people likely to stumble across them, and all of them were aware of Ichigo's sword spirits.


	2. Chapter 2

"I think I have a good starting point." The blonde haired boy sat down on the edge of the roof, back pressed firmly against one of the numerous small raised portions which might have been battlements many centuries before.

"Now is probably not the best time to discuss such things." The other boy, bespectacled with brown hair, nearly as messy as his companion's, gave his friend a meaningful look before glancing down over the edge of the roof. Below, the citizens of the Rukongai milled about their daily activities, but in the shadow of one overhang, hiding in plain sight, was a nondescript man in dark clothing. He had not turned the page of his book for more than ten minutes. The Onmitsukido had been increasing their surveillance of the inner districts steadily for years.

"Ah, I see what you mean. It's quite warm out today, is it not? 31 or 32 degrees, I'd say." The blonde leaned his head back but kept his eyes fixed on the other boy.

"At a guess, I'd say 32. It's supposed to be a full moon tonight..." That was all that needed to be said. The brown haired boy was gone in a flash, and after a few moments to observe the Onmitsukido officer and ensure that he had not taken off after his friend, the blonde followed.

The new roof was in the mostly unoccupied forested area of the middle districts to the west of Seireitei. They had developed the secret language soon after they met. At first, it had been a challenge to each other, to match the other stride for stride on the mental playing field, but as their discussions turned to deeper and darked subjects, it had become a standard they used to avoid unwanted eyes and ears.

He hadn't even told Yoruichi or Tessai about the boy he had met who could keep even his great mind sharp and sometimes worn out. He thought it better to keep his intellectual company to himself for as long as they were going to discuss things that smelled of treason.

"So, what is this starting point of yours, Kisuke?" The brown haired boy relaxed against a tree, pleased to be away from all the masks they had to wear within the walls of their home.

"Nature will always seek balance." Kisuke Urahara replied simply. His companion considered for a moment, then nodded.

"I like it. I was leaning toward something along the lines of true balance opposing free will, but yours allows a lot more flexibility."

"High praise, Sousuke." Urahara grinned. "Care to start?"

"Hollows are natural. They progress naturally from Pluses, and Pluses progress naturally from Humans."

"Quincy as well. I think Quincy flow as naturally from Humans as Hollows from Pluses. Perhaps souls were simply meant to come to an end eventually? There is a sort of balance in oblivion, after all. Humans would die and become Pluses, as Pluses were reincarnated and become Humans. Hollows would devour and devour, bringing the scattered souls together into a single target, then Quincy would destroy them, until eventually nothing remained of any of them."

"There is an alternate hypothesis. We are simply mistaken about the nature of the Quincy, specifically about what happens when they destroy a Hollow. If we assume that Humans and Pluses are a balance of their own, constantly flowing back and forth between each other, and that they progress naturally to another pair of balancing opposites, then we should also be able to assume that the result of a Quincy killing a Hollow should mirror that of a Hollow killing a Quincy."

"Something about the Quincy reacts to the reiryoka of Hollows, making them almost instantly lethal, but the souls are not destroyed… They simply become pluses, as is expected… So, to mirror that, when a Quincy kills a Hollow, it would become a Human once more?"

"I believe that would be a logical acertion. Now, we must ask, where to Shinigami come in? We exist, therefore we must have a place in the balance. We come from souls, but are as much the opposite of Hollows as the Quincy. I would propose that we are the result of Quincy reiryoka invading an ordinary Plus. The power manifesting differently within us as the generations go onward."

"From that, we would have to assume that there exists a sixth form of creature which results from Hollow reiryoka entering into a living Human. I have heard rumors of such a thing, but none of my research has uncovered anything of the kind."

"What of your research on the Soul King?"

"There are stories of the Right Arm of the Soul King in the distant districts of the Rukongai. It is said to represent stasis, stagnation, tradition. Perhaps the Left Arm is the opposite, representing progress and evolution..."

"The Right Arm, then, would be the Hollows, while the Left Arm would be the Quincy? The Soul King, by extension, would have to be the fusion of lethal opposites. A creature in whom both Hollow and Quincy nature could reside, which in turn would bring the presence of both Human and Plus, as well as Shinigami and this sixth kind."

"There is a certain elegance to it, don't you think? The Quincy will replenish naturally from Humans as surely as Hollows will always replenish from Pluses. As long as there are Humans, there will always be Pluses, and as long as there are Pluses, there will always be Humans. And even more, Shinigami and the sixth kind will also follow naturally."

"So, why are we taught that the balance of the world is so fragile that we Shinigami alone can maintain it, else all of creation would fall about our ears? I think that there is a certain darkness that is bred in lives that stretch on for too long. Moving through the cycle is natural and necessary. To purge that darkness and rekindle the light inside of us. The Soul King acts as the keystone by filtering that darkness… By ensuring that the cycle continues."

"The Captain Commander has lived for more than 2000 years. If the legend of the Sealed King of the Quincy is accurate, then so has he. What of the Hollows and the sixth kind? They have no great leaders from two millennia ago… Where is the balance in that?"

"Perhaps that balance has been broken by us… By Yamamoto and Yhwach before they fought one another and Shinigami rose over Quincy. Maybe their mutual hatred of Hollows is the only reason that they had not declared war on each other before then. Maybe they killed the equivalent among the Hollows. Maybe even among the sixth kind as well."

"If that is the case, then the balance really is in danger, and not from Hollows. From Shinigami and Quincy… Shouldn't the Soul King step in to rectify the imbalance? Shouldn't that filter recognize that those two have lived too long and have begun harming the balance in a way that will take a true catastrophe to correct?"

"Maybe he can't… Maybe he saw the strength of the balance and cut of his arms to lend strength to the two sides, and so lost his ability to step in and set things right. Perhaps the Right Arm belongs to the Shinigami now, with the fall of the Hollow Lord?"

"How can it be corrected, then? Either the Soul King must be replaced, or the balance must be restored by those who dwell here within it. And to do that… It would require the death of both Yamamoto and Yhwach. It would require the return of the Right Arm to the Hollows and the establishment of a new king among them. It would require a change in the paradigm of all six groups. And I fear it would still require the replacement of the Soul King. Someone willing to give an arm to the Shinigami and the sixth kind to complete the balance."

"But there is no one capable of taking his place. They have to be both Hollow and Quincy." Sousuke looked at his sketch in the dirt and blinked. "Maybe there is a way..."

"What are you thinking?" Kisuke looked at the scribbles as well, unsure what sudden inspiration his friend had drawn.

"I think… If Hollow Reiryoka were sealed within the soul of a Shinigami and then that soul mated with a Quincy, or alternatively if one of the sixth kind were sealed within a Quincy and mated with a Shinigami, then the offspring would be able to contain the contradictory natures. Then it would be a matter of drawing each nature out to its full extent without allowing them to tear apart the host."

"A Hollow sealed within a Shinigami… Is such a thing even possible?" Kisuke shook his head. "It would be dangerous… They are on opposites ends of the evolution of a Plus. There is a little Quincy within Shinigami, after all. Not enough for Hollows to be lethal to us as a general rule, but having one within our very soul… There is every chance the host would be torn apart."

"Something to break down the barrier then… Something that could bridge the gap and allow one to fully step into the domain of the other."


	3. Chapter 3

"Revered elders of the Kuchiki clan, you have my gratitude for taking the time to meet here with me today." Byakuya gave his formal greeting and bowed, taking a moment to prepare himself for what was coming.

"It is an honor to answer the call of our clan head." One of the elders said as they all bowed in return. Byakuya could not help the corner of his mouth twitching upward. _We'll see about that when this meeting is finished._

"Are we to assume that this is in regards to your marriage requirements?" Another elder asked. This time, Byakuya let his mouth curl into a small smirk.

"Yes, that is the matter I primarily wish to discuss, among a few others." Another deep breath, and he pulled a piece of paper from within his uniform, looking it over one last time before he addressed them all. "I have quite a lot to say, and it would be easier for me if I were not interrupted. If you have any questions regarding what I have to say, I will listen to them when I am finished. If you have any questions for me that pertain to matters that have not yet been brought to my attention, I will hear them now."

Now the elders were curious. None voiced any other concerns, and readily allowed the Shinigami Captain to speak.

"As you all know, I defied our customs once in order to marry a woman from the Rukongai, and yet again to adopt her sister as was her dying wish. Afterward, I was quite convinced that my days of rule breaking were over, put behind me with my hotheaded youth. When my sister was sentenced to execution, I readily followed orders until Ichigo Kurosaki rescued her and put into perspective what it meant to be an older brother.

"Now, you have asked me to remarry and produce an heir to the Kuchiki family, regardless of my personal wishes. A century ago, I would have done what I believed to be my duty and taken a wife that was found suitable by my elders. However, I have spoken in depth with a number of men and women who's judgment I have come to find beyond reproach, and their advice all seems to agree with what I feel to be right in my own mind and heart.

"As such, there will be some changes to the structure of the Kuchiki clan, effective immediately. In the words of Captain Kurosaki himself, our traditions, political agendas, priorities, and general attitude are ' _complete and total bullshit'_. After a great deal of thought on the subject, I find myself agreeing with him. The first change that I am making is that arranged marriages are to come to an end. We will be taking the Shiba approach and allowing all members of our family to marry who they wish, when they wish, and only if they wish to do so. The Shiba clan has survived just as long as the Kuchiki clan, so clearly our way is not the only way to survive.

"Second, and probably more important, the elders will no longer hold authority over the clan. Instead, the clan head will choose up to three of the elders, as well as up to three other individuals to act as advisers to aid him in making decisions that will effect the clan as a whole. We will discuss the individuals who will be taking these rolls at a later time.

"Third, and this should go without saying after my first point, but I shall not be remarrying as you have demanded. I will not marry on any terms but my own, and those of the woman I may or may not choose to spend my life with. Fourth, all traditions of the Kuchiki clan will be reviewed by a panel of men and women between the ages of 50 and 200 with the goal of eliminating things that are outdated or lack all common sense to the world we now live in. Shinigami as a whole sat in stagnation for many centuries, but times are changing, and to survive and thrive as we all desire to do, we must change with them.

"Fifth and last for this meeting, I am naming Rukia Kuchiki as my successor as head of the Kuchiki family, until such time as I produce an heir. If I should die without producing an heir, then the decision to have multiple heirs to support both the Kuchiki and Shiba clans, or to join the clans will be hers to make. Thank you for your time and patience. I also will not be answering any questions, I believe I made myself perfectly clear."

Byakuya turned and left the speechless men and women behind, sliding the door closed between them as he left the meeting room. He felt better than he had in centuries. Since his father had died and he had been forced to adopt the roll of cold and formal noble that he never really wanted. His grandfather had been sad to see him change to fit the mold the other elders pushed him in to, but it hadn't been a choice he was able to make at the time.

He looked at the piece of paper in his hand and chuckled quietly. Ichigo's handwriting, neat but sharp and quick, answering the question he had been asking himself for decades now.

" _Ichigo… The clan elders wish me to marry and produce an heir… You have never let anyone impose their will over yours when something mattered to you, and you were even able to sway me, which many, including myself, had thought long since impossible. What would you do? How would you reconcile your position and duty as clan head with your own desires and beliefs?" Byakuya asked across the breakfast they were sharing in the Sixth Division gardens._

" _Since when do you come to me for advice? I thought this was always supposed to be the other way around!" Ichigo grinned and then smiled sympathetically at his brother in law. "Give me a day to think it over. I'm not that good at giving advice on the fly."_

" _A day is a small price to pay if you have some grand secret to defying all obstacles to follow your heart." Byakuya sighed and leaned back. This had become one of his favorite parts of the week. On weekends, his sister's husband would come by and eat breakfast with him. It had started as a sort of test and punishment when Ichigo had been courting Rukia, then a reluctant truce when they had their son and wanted him to know his uncle. Now it was a time they set aside happily._

 _For Ichigo, Byakuya represented a patch of predictable sanity and calm among the whirlwind of lunacy that was his usual company. For Byakuya, Ichigo was someone that he was able to remove the cold hearted noble mask and allow his emotions, however trivial they may be, to show on his face. It was a luxury he could never explain to be able to laugh at a crude joke, or scowl at an unpleasant memory._

Byakuya dropped the paper on a table as he passed. ' _Decide what matters most to you and protect it, consequences be damned. It'll all work out in the end.'_ He could not imagine how he would have reacted a century ago, before the young man had gained his unwavering faith and respect. He came to a stop as someone stepped in front of him. The dark hair and skin, coupled with the golden eyes immediately screamed Shihoin, but the expression on her face was not once he recognized. For a moment, he thought he was mistaken but there was no mistaking her voice.

"Byakuya… You finally grew up. I'm… I'm very proud, and quite honored to have once called you my student. Lord Kuchiki, your grandfather would be very proud of you." Yoruichi bowed and then hugged the shocked noble. "I'm sorry I left, all those years ago… When I came back and saw the short tempered kid I used to tease had become so cold, I thought you were as lost as my Little Bee. I'm glad to see you are every bit as strong willed as you were as a child. You'll make the Kuchiki Clan truly great again." She stepped back and smiled at him.

"You were listening in, weren't you?"

"Of course. You think there is a single secret conversation or sultry moan that the Onmitsukido don't know about? I still have a little left to teach you, then."

"I look forward to it, Bakeneko."


	4. Chapter 4

"Oi! Zangetsu! Where the hell are you?" Ichigo shouted to the sky. He stood on the side of one of the many skyscrapers of his inner world, looking around for his Hollofied Zanpakuto spirit. A streak of white caught his eye and he raised his sword in time to block the blow. It wouldn't have done any real damage, but he didn't want to give his partner the satisfaction of getting a point. "About time!"

"Hey, I spend all my time in here trying not to die from boredom, You can't expect me to always be hanging out right where you want me." Zangetsu opened his hand and the phantom sword he had conjured vanished. "Watcha need?"

"Actually, it isn't anything really important, I was just curious about something. When I used Mugetsu, and then I enter my Resureccion, my hair gets really long. Why is that?" Ichigo glared as his pale counterpart began to snicker and then laugh, doubling over in hysterics. "Shut up, ass hat!"

"You have multiple ways to unleash the power of a vengeful god, and all you wonder about is your hair!" Zangetsu wheezed out between panting breaths and shaking laughter. "I _live_ here and I _still_ don't know what goes on inside that head of yours!"

"Dammit, just answer the question!" Ichigo was beginning to wish he had just asked the Old Man, but Zangetsu tended to know a great deal more about his inner workings, since he had fused that portion of his soul to the whole. "It's not _that_ weird."

"I bet Queen would laugh her ass off too!" Zangetsu finally pulled himself together and turned to his weilder with a wide grin. "King, me and the old man have been a part of your soul since you were born. We had separate manifested forms long before you separated from your body. From the time you were born until your chain of fate was severed in Urahara's basement, we matured in parallel with you, but separately. Your soul developed and changed with your body in that time. Including hair cuts. Only reason I have short hair is cause I cut it myself to match you. Lucky you didn't meet me when you were younger, I was shit at cutting my own hair with a sword."

"That's it? I just need to have someone cut my hair when I am in resureccion and it'll stay short?! I have to have a separate hair cut for each manifestation and combination of my soul?!" Ichigo tugged at his hair. "Do you have any idea what would happen if a Vasto Lorde walked into a Seireitei barber shop?"

"Would sure as hell be more entertaining than a bunch of buildings." Zangetsu smirked. "I don't know why you think it is such a big deal. You know that no one is crazy enough to question what you look like when you can evaporate them."

"I know that! I was just thinking it would get in the way if I spent more than a few minutes in that form." Ichigo scratched his head.


	5. Chapter 5

"Alright, everyone, shut up and sit down!" Ichigo scowled at the assembled men and women, waiting as they slowly sat wherever they could find a spot and focused their attention on him. "That's better. Alright, we have two changes among the seated officers! First, Central 46 has finally removed a bit of the lumber they had stored in their asses and lifted the probation on Arrancar holding senior officer positions in the Gotei 13. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, it is long overdue, but will you accept the position of Fourth Seat?"

"Hell yes!" The blue haired man grinned from his seat near the front.

"Excellent. It's good to have you where you belong! Now, as you all know, the trials for the lower seated positions were held last week. Unfortunately, only one of you have moved up enough to claim a seated position. The 18th Seat now belongs to… Keigo Asano. Well done." Ichigo smirked at his friend's dumbstruck face. "That is, if you are willing to accept it. I know you were hoping for 20th Seat, but you must have studied a little too hard."

"O-of course I accept!"


	6. Chapter 6

The pain was gone. That was the first thing he noticed when he awoke. He had not been without pain in so long, it was foreign to him. Alien. Terrifying. The pain meant he was still himself. It meant that he could still fight.

The next thing he noticed was that he was not alone. Instantly, he was on his feet, reaching for his Zanpakuto before he remembered it was no longer there. Instead, he took a fighting stance and prepared to enter Shunko.

He was facing a young, unarmed man. He slowly lowered his fists and lost his offensive stance in favor of a more defensive stance. The man reminded him simultaneously of all the innocent lives lost to this war. He had Hanataro's uncertainty and resilient optimism, and Yuzu's kind smile.

"Ichigo Kurosaki… Our meeting is long overdue. I have much to thank you for, and even more to apologize for." The young man sat cross legged on the ground and motioned for Ichigo to do likewise. After a brief look around with both eyes and his riatsu sense to ensure he was not about to be ambushed, Ichigo sat.

"Who are you?" He wanted to ask how the man knew his name, but he was under no illusions. He was famous or infamous in every spiritual realm. Even those who had been imprisoned in hell long before his birth knew his name, and shivered at the very whisper of it.

"I am the spirit and avatar of the Soul King." The young man gave Ichigo a sad smile. "I know you have many questions, and a great deal of well deserved anger… You have sacrificed much and asked for very little in return. No one deserves the life you have been put through, and yet you have carried your burden well. I regret that I can not give you the one reward that would erase your pain."

"Why have you brought me here? Why interfere now?!" Ichigo clenched his fists. He should have recognized their surroundings immediately. The ruins of the Soul King's palace. Yet another field of battle left desolate by endless war.

"I have brought you here because of your family and friends. I have brought you here because you have surrounded yourself with men and women of the very highest caliber. Strong. Brilliant. Kind. And every single one of them, loyal beyond measure to the one at their center. I have heard the last words of each of them in turn. Every one of them has begged for the same thing. That I give you peace and happiness, and the strength to protect those who remained before them. All but one."

Ichigo froze and stared. What was he talking about? Why didn't they all ask to be brought back so he could protect them! That would have been the only way he would have ever found peace!

"Kisuke Urahara, the last to die, knew you had no one left to protect, and that peace and happiness were forever beyond your reach. He is a clever man. I dare say, the smartest I have ever had the fortune to meet. A mind made for solving puzzles. Strategy and tactics, science and magic. There is nothing that he could not find a solution to, and no impossibility he would discount easily."

"He was… An incredible man..." The pain in his heart returned as he remembered the scientist's last moments. Devoured by the Hogyoku. Converted into even more power. His mentor and friend, consumed by one of his own creations.

"Indeed. In his last moments, he put his mind to work, and tossed aside all restrictions of time, power, and scientific possibility. He allowed his mind the entirety of its resources to come up with a solution even as his heart beat its last. By the time he reached me, he had a plan mostly formed. It took only a brief explanation of what I can and can not do for him to come up with a solution. He asked that I do this, as a parting gift to his student. I owe him a great debt, for in his brilliance, he has given me the chance to do good in this world, if only once."

"I… Don't understand… What can you do now that you couldn't do before?"

"Ichigo… Aizen and Yhwach were mistaken. I am not all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful celestial being. I… I was just an arrogant foolish boy who was deceived into cage disguised as a crown. The shinigami have only the vaguest notion of my purpose, only that I am necessary. Allow me to explain just what it is I am, and why I have done nothing before now."

"I'd love to hear it." Ichigo fixed him with burning eyes, but inside he wondered, if a man who reminded him so much of Yuzu and Hanataro had stood by and done nothing as millions of souls were destroyed, could it have really been out of malice or neglect?

"I am a filter and an arbitrator. I am the incarnation of balance, and the reconciliation of contradictions. I am a lynch pin for the universe, nothing more… There are rules written in the foundation of the universe which no being can violate. Rules that govern everything that has ever been and will ever be. Unbreakable rules. Unchangeable rules. I am a victim of those rules as well. Maybe more than any other."

"I still don't understand..."

"Imagine… Imagine that by driving a blade through Aizen's heart, you would in that same action drive that very blade through the heart of the one you love most in the world… Could you do it then? Knowing that if he lived, hundreds of thousands would die, knowing that he had already destroyed innocent lives, could you sacrifice good to eradicate evil?"

"I… No… I would find another way..."

"You would. You have that luxury, while I do not. I am balance. If I kill an evil man, a good man dies as well. I can not change the balance. My hands are bound. I absorb the memories and pain of every soul that passes through me. I pass judgment and with my limited wisdom and endless experience, I try to place them where they will do more good than harm. I am even forbidden from explaining to the souls below. I may select a counsel of five, but I may not speak to them… I am condemned by this crown to watch and do nothing as events play out. Until today."

"Kisuke found out how to let you help?" If anyone could, it was Urahara.

"He did. Do you know the principle of a paradox? An action, which through its exitance prevents itself from existing, or causes its own existence? I am confident, now more than before, that he is correct. I am breaking the rules by speaking to you, and that would indicate I will be successful."

"A paradox? Like time travel? Kisuke's solution was time travel?!" Was he going to be sent back to assassinate Aizen and Yhwach before they rose to power?

"In a manner, yes. If I place you in the timeline at a point in the past, and you change the future, then we will never have this conversation. I will never break the rules." The man looks ready to laugh. "I have waited more than 1500 years to be able to help, and that man came up with the solution in a matter of seconds. No other mind would have thrown out the traditional paradigm of avoiding paradoxes and instead deliberately created one."

"Yeah… One of a kind… I bet he even decided when and where to send me, didn't he?"

"Of course. And what's more, he took into account your own peace and happiness. I must warn you, your life will not be what you remember. I can insert you in an instant, according to Urahara's plan, but I must work with the context of the time and place."

"Will I have my family? My friends? Rukia? Will they live?"

"Yes."

"Then to hell with the rest. If I can protect them, nothing else in my life matters." Ichigo stood and then looked thoughtful. "What about… Zangetsu?"

"They will be restored. However, only you and Zangetsu will have your memories of this timeline. Even I will not, as is necessary for the paradox to work. Are you ready, Ichigo Kurosaki?" The young man stands as well and extends a hand to the orange haired hero.

"Yeah. I'm ready." He takes the hand, and the world around him shifts.


	7. Chapter 7

_He stumbled to the remains of a wall, supporting himself as he caught his breath. He blinked and tried to focus, but the pain from his lungs was making his vision blur and spin. He coughed and fell to his knees, hands covering his mouth as if such a simple act might keep his blood inside his body. The crimson liquid dripped from between his fingers as another cough racked his frame._

 _He knew he had hours. Maybe minutes, really. Who knew? He had postponed his fate for centuries, but it seemed the end was in sight at last. A third cough forced him to reach out and hold himself off the ground with his arms, panting as his hair fell like a curtain, shielding him from seeing the destruction around him._

 _It wasn't so bad, really. He had done a lot of good in his borrowed time. He had taken many of the youngest Shinigami into his division and taught them the values and skills that had kept many of them alive. He had enjoyed the dearest friendship any man could ever hope to have. His only regret was that he would not be able to say goodbye to Shunsui. Most likely, the man was in the Soul King's Palace. Hopefully, his dying act had made a difference, and the worlds would not fall to ruin for lack of a keystone._

 _A gentle hand on his shoulder made him look up between coughs, searching for the Riatsu of his friend. Instead, he found another familiar figure. The former captain of the Twelvth Division. Kisuke Urahara._

" _I have a way to save you, but the cost is quite high. I would understand if you would rather go to your peace now, but if you still wish to fight, I can give you a way." Kisuke's voice was gentle and warm, the hand on the older man's shoulder radiating healing Kidou that would allow him the breath to answer._

" _If I may have another life to give to protect this world… What is the cost?" Juushiro blinked away the tears that the last round of coughing had forced into his eyes._

" _You must become a Visored. Once you begin to undergo Hollowfication, your lungs will be regenerated. Afterward, if you are able to overcome your inner hollow, then you will be able to rejoin the battle. I must warn you though, without the Hogyoku, there is a very real possibility that the dual nature of your soul will tear you apart, in time."_

" _I accept… Promise me… If I fail, and I become a hollow, you must kill me. Do not allow me to endanger anyone else, and… Do not make Shunsui be the one to purify me."_

" _I promise." Kisuke held out his other hand, opening gloved fingers and allowing a small sphere to fall on to the exposed skin of Ukitake's back._

Juushiro awoke with a start, slowing his breathing as he recognized his surroundings. He was back in the Thirteenth Division. The memories of the night his life had changed still kept him up at night occasionally, but it was a low price for being able to see Soul Society survive the war. As he thought about the changes that had taken place in the last century, he smiled. Survived and flourished, no denying that.

"Captain Ukitake! Captain Kyoraku and Captain Kurosaki are here!" Kiyone's voice drifted through the door and he shook his head. A few things never changed, and he could never express how happy he was to know that.

"Tell them I will meet them in the garden shortly!" He slid out of his bed and stretched, breathing deep and allowing himself to grin with unbridled joy as his longs effortlessly filled with air. Urahara had been as good as his word. The scientist could work miracles when he put his mind to it. Juushiro was not the only one to have survived the war thanks to that man, nor even the only one to have voluntarily undergone hollowfication.

Three quarters of the Eleventh Division, and the Captain of the Tenth had all been revived thanks to the gamble of one scientist.


	8. Chapter 8

For a moment, he couldn't believe what he had just heard. Surely, he had eaten something out of date at breakfast and that had caused him to have a brief lapse in perception. There was no way that sweet, innocent, compassionate, silly Yuzu had just _growled_ at him. Then there was an arrow coming at him and he immediately had to leap into action. His student was taking the lead today, with a ferocity he would never have imagined coming from her.

"Uh… Yuzu, is something wrong?" Uryu called from a safe distance, bow at the ready, but not drawing yet. Usually he would start on the offensive so that Yuzu could practice her defense before her stamina got depleted, but today it looked like he was going second.

" _Yes!_ " She growled again, clenching her fist around the handle of her bow and firing three arrows in rapid succession. It was impressively done, considering he had only taught her the move last week, and she tended to take longer than that to master even basic moves. "Jinta had the nerve to come knocking on my window this morning and tried to kiss me! Like he didn't dump me a _decade_ ago! I could tear his arms off and beat him with them!"

It was alarming, to say the least, seeing his student shouting. He had always assumed that if someone pushed her too far, she would cry long before she turned to anger. But then, he had known Ichigo for years, and interacted with the other twin plenty when she visited the fourth, so he shouldn't have been so surprised. She _was_ a Kurosaki, after all. Although, that wasn't entirely fair. His aunt Masaki had been a Kurosaki. She had been a sweet woman, and he thought Yuzu had taken after her. Turns out, Yuzu did have a little Shiba in her after all.

"I can see how that would be a bit upsetting, but you really should calm down." Its not that he didn't appreciate the sudden challenge to break him out of the monotony of their usual lessons, but he was a little worried that she would work herself up into a rage and he would be witness to any number of things that could go wrong when a Shiba was pissed off.

Ichigo could blame him and tear him apart. Karin could blame him and tear him apart. Isshin could blame him and tear him apart. At this point, _Yuzu_ might tear him apart. And most concerning of all, she had been so careful not to wake her inner hollow, and if this wasn't setting of sirens in her inner world, he didn't know what would.

It didn't really matter who got to him first. Jinta was so fucked.

"I will _not_ calm down! Karin says when she is mad she trains, so that's what i'm doing!" The young woman spins and fires a hail of arrows in an arc around Uryu, and he thinks she has given up on aiming until she fired a barrage of Bakudo spells past the arrows and redirects them from a dozen different angles.

"That was… A really impressive move..." Uryu barely moved out of the way in time, one arrow grazing his ear even so. He hadn't taught her that. He was pretty sure _no one_ had taught her that. And if she was acting on instinct, that was just another sign that she was on the verge of hollowfication. He did not want to be here if she was wearing a mask. Making a quick decision, he flicked an arrow in the direction of the Eighth, praying that his grandfather would guide his arrow and that the idiot would at least _feel_ the impact of the shot.

"Did you just call my brother?!" Yuzu gave him a scowl he had thought he had grown fully immune to, and quickly realized he most certainly had a ways to go.

"Uh… Yes, but I promise, you will thank me later… Things were getting a little out of hand..." He began backing away, trying to keep moving toward the door of the Fourth Division barracks without presenting his back as a target. To his immense relief, he felt the familiar riatsu of the Eighth Division Captain coming only a heartbeat before he came to a stop between them. "Hey Ichigo… I swear this is not my fault. I think she's about to Hollowfy."

His words seemed to flip a switch, and Yuzu dropped the bow and covered her mouth, eyes widening. Ichigo rushed to her side and wrapped an arm around her.

"Hey, its okay Yuzu. It's a bit scary at first, but you've met Zangetsu, and Karin has Shinkiro. We aren't Visored, and we aren't at war. Your hollow won't hurt you." He sat down and pulled her on to his lab in the middle of the training field. "Just relax… Breath and close your eyes. You're gonna be fine."

"I-Ichigo… I was so _angry_! I wasn't even thinking about my inner hollow… I totally lost my head!" She was shaking, without the impromptu sparring match, the adrenaline was leaving her a jittery wreck. "I'm sorry, Uryu… I shouldn't have put you in a position like that..."

"It's alright. You are my student and I will stay with you through this, but I didn't want this to happen without your brother here."

"Thanks, Uryu." Ichigo turned his head to give his friend a grateful smile. He turned back to his sister. "I think you calmed down enough to stop it if you try. What do you want to do?"

"I..." She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. She had been terrified of her inner hollow since she had first learned what a hollow was, but after actually spending time with Zangetsu, a lot of her rational fears had evaporated. But the irrational phobia that had taken root was still there, making her wary. "I want to try and talk to her..."

"I'll be right here."


	9. Chapter 9

Really, if it hadn't been quite so absurd, he wouldn't have believed it. But surely, if he were going to lie to his captain, the great Grimmjow would have come up with something more realistic than this. And so, against all common sense, Ichigo nodded his acceptance and waved his fourth seat off as he leaned back in his chair and contemplated just what he would do now.

It wasn't like he really needed the Arrancar on duty this weekend. The war was long over and he had, in his opinion, the most reliable Lieutenant and Third Seat in the entire Seireitei. Well, except for his wife, but she was in a different category in his mind. Lisa Yadomaru and Sado Yasotora could pretty well run the division without him, and he occasionally found himself with more free time than he really knew what to do with. Throw in Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and he may as well be Twentieth Seat rather than Captain for all the work he did on a daily basis.

But, this weekend he would be filling in for his Fourth Seat and personally handling Zanjutsu classes for the newest recruits.

In the years since he took his place, the Eighth Division had become known for its remarkable swordsmanship as much as the Second Division was known for its hand to hand ability. It was well known that they were looking at what would likely become the most well prepared generation in the history of Soul Society. Trained entirely by the survivors of the most brutal war that had ever occurred, they would be taught the skills to survive and win in real battle.

His mind wandered back to the Arrancar's request, and the eyebrow raising explaination that had followed.

"Hey, Ichigo. Can I have this weekend off?" Grimmjow had kicked the door open with all the manners of any street punk. It wasn't like Ichigo minded. He appreciated the demented man's direct approach after dealing with all the social niceties that came with his new position.

"Why? Do you have plans?" Ichigo had asked. He was going to say yes regardless. The man rarely asked for time off, and had worked harder than most Shinigami from the first day he joined the division. But he was curious, and so he asked. And that was when he had received a reposnce that he would have laughed at had it come from anyone else.

"Yeah. Sui Feng asked me to join her, Yoruichi, and Kisuke in the world of the living for some down time. Bars, games, food, and the beach. At least that is what she said they had planned. Yoruichi is gonna be there, so it might end up just being bars." The blue haired man had shrugged as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

He knew that Grimmjow had become fairly good friends with the diminutive ninja over the last decades, and could even get along with Urahara on occasion, if the former captain were not in the mood to be too goofy, but he knew for a fact that Yoruichi hated Grimmjow with the burning fury of a thousand exploding stars. Why, he was still a little fuzzy about, but the fact remained. Grimmjow was the only person in the Gotei 13 who went to the Second Division hoping to be greeted by the Captain and not the Head of the Onmitsukido.

Ichigo agreed without a word, and here he was. After a few minutes in thought nearing meditation on the situation, he made a decision. Shunsui had taught him to master his dual Zanpakuto, that was common knowledge, but he had also taught him how to get out of paperwork when he felt like it. With a guilty sigh, he broke his stack of papers up and slipped a little into each stack of Lisa's so that the height difference would not be noticeable and slipped out the door like a shadow.

Hours later, in the world of the living, Grimmjow was stretched out on the beach, just out of reach of the waves, a towel that matched his hair between him and the sand. A few feet away, angled away from him, but not with a barbed wire fence between them as would have been expected, was Yoruichi. It figures that after all their edging around each other, they would bond over their dislike for water.

Sui Feng and Urahara had exhausted each other in the waves, racing, surfing, and diving in an almost friendly attempt to one up each other. Now, Urahara was buried up to his armpits with the tide licking his chest as Sui Feng dug small trenches and dams around the two sunbathing cats.

"Uh, Sui Feng... Do you plan to unbury me before I drown, or should I begin my escape attempt now?" Kisuke looked around as the latest wave had risen nearly to the tops of his shoulders.

"I suppose I can help you out. It would put a damper on the whole weekend if I had to dig another hole to put you in just cause you haven't invented Gigais with gills yet." The small woman smirked and picked up the tiny plastic shovel she had been using and stood over her former nemesis and current not-quite-friend. "Beg."

"What?" Kisuke blinked and then chuckled as the next have soaked his face and hair. "Alright, alright. Please free me, Captain. You are the superior Flash Step Artist." With a satisfied grin, Sui Feng had extracted him in a matter of seconds.

"That's not very nice, Little Bee!" Yoruichi almost purred from her chair. It was worth it, putting up with the stupid panther, to see her lover and her life long friend getting along. And, once they had both agreed that they hated the water more than each other, it had not been unbearable to sit within a spirit mile of him.


	10. Chapter 10

Ichigo sat up and dragged his fingers through his hair, blinking in the dim light and glancing at his clock. It was four in the morning. He tried not to groan in frustration. He felt a tugging in his subconscious that he knew would not allow him to return to a peaceful sleep. It meant that he had been having a bad dream, and Zangetsu had gotten sick of the rain.

With an irritated sigh, he got out of bed, slipping down the stairs and in to the kitchen as silent as a ghost, even in his human body. He took a seat at the table after starting the coffee maker and closed his eyes, dropping in to his inner world and scowling at his albino counterpart, who scowled back all the harder as his hair continued to drip from the recent downpour.

"Where the hell is the Queen? It ain't fair. She's a damn hero too, why is she doin' paperwork for those baboons upstairs?" Zangetsu growled, stomping in a circle around Ichigo, gesturing wildly as he ranted.

"Calm down. They are still recovering from the war and they need all hands on deck, you know that. Her captain nearly died. I'll be back there in a week, I promise. I just wanted to spend some time with my family." Ichigo sat cross legged on the side of the window. "I know you missed them too."

"Not the point! They keep you plenty happy during the day, but as soon as you go to sleep, the sky starts leakin'!" Zangetsu flopped down in front of him with remarkable grace for such an abrupt and jolting action. "Hey, King?"

"Yeah?"

"Think any of these buildings have got doors?" Zangestu turned his head to look at the ground to their right. A rapid series of flash steps and they were both dropping through an open glass door. "The Old Man is a total ass hat... He coulda told me about this ages ago... No wonder he hasn't been showing himself when it rains!"

"You never thought to see if the buildings have doors? What do you _do_ when I am not here?" Ichigo shook his head.

"Lotsa important stuff... Mostly break stuff." Zangetsu stiffened. "Someone's comin'. I feel Shinigami and Hollow, but it ain't one of the Visored..."

Ichigo opened his eyes to the kitchen ceiling just in time to hear a knock on the front door. He was there in dash that rivaled a beginner's flashstep and flung it open, ready to deliver a powerful blow to any attacker. His eyes dropped a few inches and he stepped back, relaxing as he recognized the messy white hair of the Tenth Division captain.

"Toushiro? What are you doing here?" Ichigo was alarmed to find the young captain shaking and clutching his own arms.

"Kuro... Ichigo..." Toushiro looked up at him and gave him a look full of pain and fear. "I'm dying."


	11. Chapter 11

It began in the Academy. Both were gifted. Brilliant and powerful. Swordsmanship, flash step, demon arts. They came as naturally to the two prodigies as breathing. As with any pair of boys, being at a similar age and a similar level of skill, and each dividing the attention the other received, there were only two things that could happen. A rivalry, or a friendship.

Or, rarely, both.

Their similarities were remarkable, to anyone who took the time to look closely. Both orphans of lesser nobles, taken in by a great noble house. One by the Shihoin Clan, and one by the Shiba Clan. Both years ahead of their peers in terms of intelligence, skill, and strength. And both filled with a scientific curiosity that drove them to investigate and question things that no one else bothered to think twice of.

Such things as the very nature of their world. The forces that governed it. What effects those forces had. It was while contemplating such things that they found it. The deepest problem of their world. The thing they would call, for centuries onward, the last variable. 

On a board, in a room, in a basement, of a building, in the Shinigami Academy, two boys unraveled a system of equations that governed the balance of the universe, and discovered that there was a problem. Something was wrong, and the numbers said that their would was doomed to fall out of balance. The system was unstable, and would eventually collapse.

They traced back through the history books and census records, compiling data and modifying portions of the equations. They pushed and pushed until the root of the problem was finally uncovered. A secret that would mean either the destruction of all things, or overturning the way that every soul viewed the world.

They began to work out a strategy to ensure the latter option.


	12. Chapter 12

The proud noble sat in peaceful silence on a sturdy branch of an ancient tree. He caressed the bark idly with his thumb, outlining letters he himself had carved there centuries before. He had been such a hot headed and reckless boy in his youth. He had known what was right and what was wrong, and to hell with propriety.

He had matured once his parents began taking notice of his skills. He was naturally gifted, even by their family standards. He was a quick learner and powerful as well. His father had demanded he be put through the family's most rigorous training and education. To iron out his wild side and make him the perfect noble.

It had worked all too well, and in a matter of years, he had mastered himself. His temper was calmed and tradition and law dictated his actions, not his heart or his passion. They doused his inner fire in favor of cold steel. His grandfather had not entirely approved.

He was able to take his grandfather's position as the head of the family and Captain of the Sixth Division at a remarkably young age. Not a record, but close. He was renowned as the perfect captain. The image of nobility. Cold. Calm. By the book. No emotional actions. Follows orders to the letter.

Then he met a peasant girl who could crack the ice and feed the flame. He smiled again, for what felt like the first time in decades. His father opposed the marriage wholeheartedly. His grandfather supported it with equal conviction. Her death extinguished his fire and thickened the ice around his heart.

He dare not look at his new sister, for fear of the pain her resemblance would cause him. Cold was easier. His father had made it clear that his rebellious streak would only lead to his demise, and he had been right.

Then he met that boy who seemed to have more fire in his heart than a thousand men had any right to. Fire enough to spark his own once more. Enough to thaw enough of the ice for him to see clearly. He resented the boy for resisting every effort to curb his passion. He wished he had resisted just a little harder. He wished he had not given up his fire for nobility so easily.

He trusted that boy. No, that young man. That young Shinigami. He trusted him with the fate of the Soul Society. He trusted him with his sister.

When the winter war ended, he almost smiled. When they returned power to the boy, he almost smiled. When the blood war ended, he almost smiled. When the boy asked him for his sister's hand in marriage, he almost smiled. When the vows were spoken and the boy became his brother, he almost smiled.

When he held his nephew in his arms, he smiled again.


	13. Chapter 13

The life of a creature like me can get to be pretty monotonous. I guess I can't complain, really. The King kept his word. I don't feel that gnawing emptiness that marked my existence even in his mother's womb. I am, in a word, satisfied. Content. Complete. I have what every hollow seeks with endless hunger. A heart.

But I remain in an empty world of towering glass and steel. The sun rises when the King awakens and sets when he falls asleep. The sun shines when his heart is burning with passion, and the rain comes when his spirits are low. And recently, the snow falls when the Queen is near by.

I can never express my gratitude to that girl, for turning the rain to snow.

I have no need of food, or sleep, or even air. I breath, eat and sleep simply to pass the time. The old man is no fun to talk to, and the King is too busy most of the time. He did make sure I had all the things necessary to pretend I had a real life. Clothes, food, a bed. I live in one of the many rooms of the endless sky scrapers.

This morning, I awoke at dawn, not suspecting that my life would never be the same again.


	14. Chapter 14

I scream in pain as the blade pierces my chest. It slips between my ribs so easily... Somewhere in the last sane corners of my mind I wonder if it was skill or luck that placed the blade so perfectly. It doesn't really matter. I have seconds left.

My killer stands over me. I can feel the blood pouring from my chest. I can feel each heartbeat send pulses of agony through my nerves. The blade is still in my chest. He didn't pull it out when I fell. Am I the first man he ever killed? I try to reach for the blade to remove it, but barely have the strength to cut my fingers on its edge.

My arm lays limp across my chest as each breath becomes a struggle. I glare at the man who dares to look down on me. He shakes his head and reaches for the hilt of the sword, ripping it free. I twitch, but it doesn't really hurt. I am numb now. Cold. Weak.

I feel a snap somewhere in the deepest part of myself. Like a chain being severed. My body is suddenly weightless. I am free. I am no longer numb or cold or weak. I take a swing at my killer and stare as my fist passes through him as if he were not there.

It becomes clear that it is me who is not there when I look down at my body. I fall to my knees and look at the battlefield. The fight rages on without me. No one looks at my body. They don't have time. I don't really blame them. I wasn't in this group to make friends. I was here for the fighting.

A monster... I don't believe my eyes at first. I have heard legends of creatures that devour the souls of warriors that fall to those weaker than themselves. The punishment of the weak. My clan valued freedom. You had to be strong to be free. Weakness was scorned. Demonized.

The monster turns its gaze on me. It wears a mask made of bone. Its eyes glow dimly in the evening light. I try to run, but it is too fast. It catches me in seconds. Its claws are sharp as swords. Its arms like iron. Its teeth are knives in my flesh. In my soul.

I feel myself dying again. Its worse the second time. This time there is no snap and sudden freedom. It is like being chained in a dungeon. I can see through eyes that are not my own. Like looking through the bars of a cage. I watch as jaws that I can feel but not control devour men I fought beside.

Eventually I stop watching. I fall into a sleep of sorts. A trance. A state of suspension as time passes. Souls come and go. Dozens. Hundreds. And each time... The creature grows stronger. It is like a rising tide. I am pulled under. I am suffocating. Drowning. Losing myself. I am lost in a sea of minds and souls. I am numb again.

On and on it goes. Drifting in the endless ocean of lost souls. Somewhere deep inside what was once myself, I find the fire that used to drive me. I care for it, and it burns bright enough to light my way. I reach the surface. I fight night and day to stay afloat. I can see through those bars again. The body that imprisons me has grown. One among many. I stretch out with what little strength I have left, and I seize the jaws for myself.

I devour my brethren. All the same. All so weak next to me. Am I myself again? No. I am still just one of many. But I can feel the pull inside me. Whispering in the ocean that one more will make me whole.

It takes many more before I feel anything. I feel the ocean pulling back, and finally I stand on dry land. My jaws are my own. My eyes are still the bars of my cell, but the cell belongs to me. I am light, and fast, and strong. So very strong.


	15. Chapter 15

"So... What do you think?" Isane smiled brightly and squirmed into a more comfortable position against his chest.

"Isane... I love you, but this idea is... fucking stupid." Ikkaku sighed and then winced as the tall woman bit his arm hard enough to leave an arc of tooth marks. "Ouch! Sorry, but it's the truth! Dammit, stop biting me!"

"Ikkaku, you ass! It would work!" She glared at him, giving him one last irritated bite. "You taught me. I taught Yumi. Why does it have to stop there?"

"Because my men would eat them alive, that's why!" Ikkaku rubbed his arm and frowned at the marks. "Isane... It sounds nice, but who would even participate? The Fourth Division would be too terrified, and the Eleventh would be too arrogant."

"You mean if I can find people to participate, you'll support me?" Isane grinned and rolled on top of him. He narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that grin. That meant she was a step ahead of him. Reluctantly, he nodded.

"Yeah... If you find someone from each division to volunteer for the program, I'll take it to your Captain."

"Excellent!" Isane trailed kisses down his neck and purred against him. "Hanataro and Tatsuki are in."

"You... Fine." Ikkaku sighed and lay back before smiling. "This is never going to end well, you know that, right?" He ran his hands up and down her bare spine.

"We will make it work." She sat up and smiled down at him. "Now... No more business talk."

"Yes Doc."

\- Line -

"An exchange program?"


	16. Chapter 16

_The heat was oppressive. It hadn't rained in nearly six weeks, and they were going to take full advantage of it. Their leader was a clever and ruthless warlord, who had been a rising star in his own lord's military before he staged a coup and took power for himself. Over the last eleven years he had gathered an army of brave, idealistic, and viciously strong young warriors. Among them, a man by the name of Ikkaku Madarame._

 _Ikkaku had grown up on the streets. His parents, poor and homeless, had left him on his own, lest all of them die together. Against all odds, he survived. They were not so fortunate. When he was eleven years old, he met his first real friend. A boy from a wealthy family, who should never have had cause to cross his path. His name was Yumichika Ayasegawa._

 _Ikkaku had become respected among the others living in the alleys and shadows as a dangerous boy to mess with. His fighting ability was enough to keep him fed, even as young as he was. One day, searching for food, he saw a few men attacking the rich boy, as he might have done himself, and decided that today was the boy's lucky day. He stepped in and saved the boy's life and dignity from the men._

 _The next day, the rich boy sought him out to thank him, bringing an offering of food. Ikkaku learned that the boy had an older brother who was favored by his parents and destined to inherit their families wealth. The older brother held no fondness for the boy, and would surely kick him out of the family as soon as he came of age, so Yumichika wished to learn how to fend for himself._

 _For the next five years, Ikkaku taught Yumichika to fight. They became dear friends, but when he was sixteen, Ikkaku left the streets to become a soldier under a brilliant and powerful warlord who was rumored to be the greatest warrior and hero in the country. The two friends did not see each other for ten years. In that time, Ikkaku found the warlord, and became a soldier at his command._

 _Now, Ikkaku crouched in the darkness, waiting for his lord's order to strike. They had an enemy outpost surrounded in the darkness. The reports said the enemy soldiers outnumbered them ten to one, so they were going to use the cover of darkness and the dry wood to their advantage. First, the tree line, then the central and outermost houses would be ignited. With only one direction to run, the main force of the army would be able to take on the panicked and unprepared enemy, while Ikkaku's men took care of the stragglers who may be preparing for a counter attack._

 _A flicker of light caught Ikkaku's eye and he raised his hand. The fire caught and spread in seconds. As soon as the first fleeing shadows reached the edge of the outpost, Ikkaku dropped his hand and he and his men rushed forward. His men scattered and struck twenty buildings at the same time, hurrying in to sweep them before the fire reached them. He kicked down the door of the building he had claimed and raised his sword, only to have it expertly blocked and redirected._

 _His adversary countered with the sheath of a sword, then lunged with the blade itself, missing by an inch as Ikkaku stumbled back, his eyes widening in horror at the young man he was facing._

" _Yumi?! What are you doing here?! This is an enemy outpost! You were never a traitor!"_

" _Enemy outpost?! Ikkaku, this is a mining village! I live here! Ashikaga Daigo is a murderer, not a hero! You_ must _have realized this!" Yumichika took a step back and raised his sword and sheath to defend himself when the fire began to eat away the walls around them._

 _Ikkaku lunged forward and grabbed his friend, dragging him out of the house and onto the street, coughing to drive the smoke from his lungs. "Yumi... You're wrong! He just... He made a mistake!"_

" _Ask him yourself..." Yumichika grimaced and looked up from his friend to the warlord who was approaching with his commanders._

" _Lord Daigo! The reports were wrong! This was not an enemy outpost. I know this man." Ikkaku sheathed his blade and faced his idol. "We have to call off our soldiers. We can still save some of these men!"_

" _Ikkaku... I am very disappointed in you. My orders were clear. Kill everyone who didn't run. This mining village provides the coal in which our enemies forge their swords and tools. If we take this land and kill these men, our conquest will be that much easier." The warlord turned to each of his commanders, giving them a silent signal._

 _One lunged forward on his horse, disarming Yumichika and crushing his sword beneath its hooves. The other grabbed Ikkaku by the throat and shoved him backward into the flames._

" _Ikkaku! No!" Yumichika dropped to his knees as his friend's screams almost immediately cut off in a sickening gurgling sound. He stared in horror for only a moment before acting. He lunged into the flames up to his elbow, then turned and leaped. Ikkaku's sword plunged through the warlord's heart, clutched in Yumichika's blackened hand, and the commanders struck down their lord's killer._

 _A black-clad man placed a comforting hand on Ikkaku's shoulder as he watched his lifelong friend die, his fingers still wrapped tightly around Ikkaku's sword._

" _I've come to take you to a better place, Ikkaku." The man said quietly. "In the Soul Society, you will be able to live a life of peace. You will be safe and happy there."_

" _What about Yumi?"_

" _He too will be taken to the Soul Society. You may even meet again there. It is possible for anyone to be reunited with those who they have lost there." The Shinigami raised his sword, extending the hilt toward Ikkaku. "This won't hurt at all."_

 _Ikkaku felt like the world had dropped from beneath him. He was falling, but he could not have even sworn what direction he was falling in. Then he was blinking in bright sunlight._

 _He sat up on an empty street of cracked stone. He rubbed his head and frowned. His hair was gone. He looked over his arms and legs and found them smooth as well. Though his hair was gone, the burns seemed to have healed. He rose to his feet, and he began walking._

 _He soon found that he was unique in one aspect. His memories were not fading. His past life remained, as clear as the world before his eyes._


	17. Chapter 17

Captain Commander Shunsui Kyoraku waited patiently as the room slowly filled. This was one of the least painful duties that had landed on his plate with his new position, and he now appreciated why the old man had insisted on them. They were a legitimate excuse to blow off the Central 46 and his paperwork.

With an uncharacteristic blush, Captain Sui Feng flash stepped into place, completing the formation.

"Alright, now that we're all here, I officially call this meeting to order! Captain Sui Feng, would you please report on the progress of the Second Division's games? I've been anxiously awaiting an update since our last meeting, and I am sure I am not alone." Kyoraku smiled as the short woman took a moment to compose herself. It was clear that for a moment she had feared he would point out her behavior, but he knew how long it had taken her to reach the point of emotional freedom she was at now, and he would not tarnish that.

"The current score stands at 154 to 157, in favor of Lady Yoruichi's team. My team has held the lead for nearly a month, but lost the last four games in a row. I have every intention of reclaiming the lead by our next meeting, or making my team regret their poor preformance even more than they already do." There was a new edge of pride and competitive spirit in the ninja's tone that had not been there a year ago.

"I look forward to hearing your next report, and seeing your men in action. Captain Isshin Kurosaki, would you mind giving us an update on your daughter's progress?" The Captain Commander leaned back and watched carefully, waiting to see if the man would give an honest report, or if he would have to send Nanao to get the real story.

"Uryu says that she is making steady progress, but not very quickly. At her current rate, he estimates it will be three years before she is up to her full potential, and that is assuming she doesn't grow tired of it, give it less effort and attention, or find a certain portion of her training to be more challenging than what she has encountered so far. On the other hand, Isane has reported her skill with Kidou to be rapidly improving, and she will need a tutor from the Kidou Corps within the year." Isshin gave the report calmly, and Kyoraku was inclined to believe the man.

"Excellent. Captain Ichigo Kurosaki, I am eager to hear your report most of all. How has the trial period with the former Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques gone?"

"He's been a pain in the ass with anything resembling paperwork or manners, but he is also eager to prove himself, and he's been remarkably good with Kaien. The rest of the division is used to him, finally, and I've had him helping Chad with training. Chad handles the newest recruits, Grimmjow handles the more seasoned soldiers and those that Chad picks out for advanced classes. All in all, I would say that he has exceeded my expectations, and if it were up to me, I would remove his probation and give him the seat he has earned." Ichigo growled. It was the one day of the month when he would put up with being addressed by his title. He was also long since convinced that Grimmjow was fully committed to his new roll, and was more than willing to give him the full rewards and responsibilities that he deserved.

"I am glad to hear things have gone better than expected. I will get back to you about removing him from probation as soon as I am able to consult with the Central 46. Ah, Urahara, you will be reporting on behalf of the Delta Division today?"

"Yes sir." Kisuke grinned and tipped his hat back out of his eyes. "Captain Kurotsuchi and I have been working on this in our spare time, and we finally had a break through." He held up what appeared to be a carrot with a peculiar iridescent glow. "Hollow food. Made from super dense Reishi particals, and modified with Reiatsu from both Hollows and Shinigami. We engineered it so that once it is finished, it will behave like any other plant. It can be farmed, and in time, we can even grow them in the sands of Hueco Mundo."

"Hollow food? Do you mean to say that Hollows could be convinced to eat this rather than the souls of dead humans and other Hollows?" Kyoraku was leaned forward eagerly now.

"That's right. Although it would be meant primarily to dissuade them from hunting in the living world or the Rukongai. We intended to allow the interactions between Hollows to remain primarily unchanged and under the control of Tier Haribel, but she said this decision should be made by Ichigo." Kisuke turned to the orange haired hero. "So, what is your decision?"

"Can a Hollow advance to the next stage of its life by consuming this food?" Ichigo shifted uncomfortably. He rarely had to speak on behalf of Hueco Mundo. For the most part, Haribel was willing to act as his proxy, and usually knew more about a situation than he would anyway. But occasionally, when a decision was bound to affect all Hollows for centuries to come, she would pass it onto his shoulders.

"No. They would be sustained, but they could not grow." Kisuke smiled sadly. He knew it was a hard decision for the young man to make.

"Then... I think at least for now, we should allow them to continue as they have been. Use the food to keep them in Hueco Mundo, and allow them to advance as they always have. Do we have any sort of program to help Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde to become Arrancar? As I understand it, it's nearly impossible without the Hogyoku."

"You're correct. Right now, we only help Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde that are brought before us specifically by one of the representative of Hueco Mundo, but I would like to work toward a system where they can handle it on their own. The research is slow going, though, and we are relucatant to allow anyone access to the Hogyoku, for obvious reasons." Urahara sighed.

"Alright, well until that happens, that's my decision." Ichigo said, straightening his shoulders and not allowing any doubt he felt to show.

"Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?" Kyoraku looked around the assembled captains. "No? Then you are dismissed!"


	18. Chapter 18

"Ah, Lieutenant Kotetsu. I assume you are looking for Ikkaku? He's leading a mission on the edge of the Rukongai right now, but he should be back by dinner. Would you like to wait, or is there a message you would like me to deliver?" Yumichika stuck his head out of his office and smiled at the silver haired woman.

"Oh... I have the rest of the day off, and Kiyone is busy, so if you are sure I won't be in the way, I guess I will wait." She smiled and looked around. It was strange being here without Ikkaku at her side. Usually he led the way, and although she had tried her best to learn the halls of the Eleventh Division, it had taken her decades to learn her own and she was making slow progress.

"I have worked around far more disruptive obstacles than you, believe me. Please, come in. I don't want you to have to put up with anyone in the division harassing you, and I don't want to have to clean up the mess when Ikkaku catches them at it." Yumichika gestured to a soft looking white chair next to his desk, and the tall woman sat. "How do you like your new captain?"

"Oh, he's... Interesting to say the least. He is a good doctor, and he is excellent with the newer recruits, but it is hard for some of us to adjust to anyone other than Captain Unohana. Very few of us had ever been in another division. Not many people transfer to the Fourth for promotion, and most of the people who want to be there get in straight from the academy." Isane giggled. "I think he adopted me though. Apparently that is just something he does."

"I suppose everyone needs their hobby. I thought you started out in the Thirteenth with your sister?" Yumi had begun working through a stack of papers as he talked.

"That's right. I'm one of the few who transferred to the fourth. I was very good at kidou in the academy, but I didn't consider healing until I accompanied Captain Ukitake to the Fourth during one of his treatments. I felt guilty when I told him that I felt like I belonged there, but he was so happy that I was choosing to heal rather than fight... He is an amazing man. I think most young shinigami should start in his division if they don't know where they really want to be."

"I could certainly agree with that. We have got a few recruits from the Thirteenth, and almost every one of them has held a seated position during their time here. Most of them learned what they could, then moved on though. I imagine we get the most transfers to match the Fourth getting the fewest." Yumichika set aside the stack of completed papers and reclined in his chair. There was a knock at the door. "Come in."

"Hey, Yumi, do you have the rest of the papers finished? I was gonna deliver mine to the First Division before I went to Kendo. Oh, hey Isane. The captain just got back. He's on the training field checking out some of the recruits." Tatsuki was pushing a cart of paperwork which Yumichika carefully added to.

"Thank you. I'll go down and see him now, then!" Isane smiled brightly and followed the fourth seat of the Eleventh out of the room, leaving Yumi alone to relax.

"So, got a hot date, huh?" Tatsuki grinned at the tall woman, making her blush darkly.

"Well... If he has the time, I hoped we could go out and do something fun together.


	19. Chapter 19

It was terrifying. There was no enemy to face here. There was no fight. It was worse than his nightmares. There was a fight and he could do nothing. Ichigo was unconscious and would be dead soon. His fellow captains were in equally poor conditions. He was fighting hard to keep his spiritual pressure contained, but it kept leaking out, and as it did, it was devoured.

The world around them was nothing but pulsating darkness. Somewhere in that darkness was an entity that devoured spiritual pressure fast enough to bring down Ichigo. The rest of them hadn't stood a chance. Maybe if Ichigo had made it into his Vasto Lorde form things would have been different, but he had thought he could fight the darkness. He had been the first to fall.

He felt another pulse of weakness as a ribbon of energy was devoured from him. He was going to die without ever seeing Isane or Yumichika again...

"I wanted to die fighting... This is cruel... The Spirit King will pay for this..." He hoped so, at least. Even if it was a hundred thousand years, someday he would be reincarnated, and his wrath would never rest.

"It's been an honor fighting by your side, Ikkaku." beside him, Renji Abarai grinned and extended a hand to him. Ikkaku took it and forced himself to grin.

"Likewise. You always had the heart of the Eleventh behind you." He panted, the creature in the darkness drawing more power from his moment of distraction. He was Renji jerk in pain as well. "This is no way for warriors to die..."

"This is no way for anyone to die." Soifon sat against the dark wall, eyes closed and her energy sealed off. If any of them would survive, it would be her. Her power and emotions were completely under control. She had succeeded in shoving Yoruichi out of the trap before it could close. She was at peace.

Another pulse made Ikkaku flinch. Then he froze. That was not the same pulse he had felt for the last hour. Here in the depths of the dangai, where even the Koryu and Kototsu could not reach, they had no hope for rescue. Ikkaku looked to Ichigo, who remained lifeless on the ground. If he had not been the source of the pulse, then what had.

"This is... Familiar..." Ikkaku knew the riatsu... It was as familiar as Yumi's, but it wasn't his... It wasn't Isane's either. His eyes widened. There was no way...

Another pulse came with such power that the walls shook and spider web cracks spread across the floor. The walls, though looking like shifting liquid, felt as hard as stone. Thousands upon millions of years piled onto each other until they became solid... What could have such power to crack even time?

Only two people in all of Soul Society's history could have unleashed such power, and one was a useless lump on the ground right now. But the other... The other was long dead.

The third pulse was more than the remaining captain's could stand. Soifon fell unconscious, followed immediately by Renji and Byakuya. The only ones still awake where Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Ikkaku. There was no longer any doubt in his mind. There was only one man capable of such an act.

A moment of silence. Stillness. Even the creature of the dark seemed wary.

Then the world was torn apart. It was like a garganta, but rather than the bleak landscape of Hueco Mundo, there was a shifting gray-white world. And one tall, thin man who's hands were holding the walls of the tear open as he stepped through.

"Captain..." Ikkaku grinned. "I can't wait to hear this story..."

The Kenpachi of Zaraki stood in the darkness in silence for a moment. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter. The wave of riatsu that rolled off of him was more than even the monster could handle. It dissolved with a whisper as the walls continued to crack. Flecks of light began to peak through the darkness.

"Stand up, Ikkaku! A Kenpachi does not die quietly like a corpse!" Zaraki drew his sword and lunged, burying it to the hilt in the wall of the dangai. " _BANKAI!_ "

Ikkaku collapsed under the weight of his captain's power.

\- Line -

"How do you still exist?!"

"Well, I was judged unfit for reincarnation, but hell wouldn't let me in. I got lost in the Valley of Screams until I felt Ikkaku's spiritual pressure and came to check it out. Turned out to be a good choice."


	20. Chapter 20

A young boy stared in awe and wonder at the world around him. Walls of glass. Walls of mirrors. Walls of polished steel that shone as clear as moonlight on still water. The walls stretched on and on for ever, twisting and turning and winding.

"Hello? Where am I?" He asked the silence tentatively. His voiced echoed eerily through the labyrinth. No response came. He began to walk slowly, head turning slowly from side to side all the while. He could see nothing, but he could feel in his bones that he was not alone.

It felt like miles. The terrain never seemed to change, and he never caught it repeating itself either. For all he knew, it was fluid and changing anytime he was not looking. He stopped and closed his eyes, forcing himself to breath.

As his heart calmed and his breathing became slow and deep, he felt a change. He opened his eyes and found himself facing a beautiful woman of indeterminable age.

"Who are you?" He asked. "Where am I? What is this place?"

"What is it that you desire?" The woman ignored his questions and dropped to one knee to look him evenly in the eyes. "What does your heart want more than anything else? What do you seek with every breath?"

"I... I don't know... I've never thought about it..." The boy looked away. Her eyes were hypnotic. When he looked into them, he found himself forgetting to breathe.

"That is the beauty of the heart's true desire. You need not think about it. It is simply there. A fundamental part of you that can not be denied, lest you deny your potential." The woman's voice was as powerful as her eyes and it drew him back to face her. "Think on this, Sosuke. What is it you desire?"

He wanted to protest. He wanted to demand she answer his questions. He wanted to continue staring into those eyes. In a heartbeat, his eyes opened and he found himself in his bed. He sighed and rolled over, unable to drive the dream from his mind. What did it mean?

 _What do I want more than anything else?_ He thought about his life. His parents had died not many years back, but he barely knew them. He missed them, but the pain had certainly been survivable for him. As a member of a lesser noble clan in service of the Shiba clan, he was taken in and allowed to work for them until he was of age to enter the Shinigami Academy.

In his time with the Shiba clan, he had seen the other great nobles. The old men who clung to their status and tradition as if it really mattered. He had to admit, the Shiba clan was at least more practical. They valued their family not because of their noble status but because they loved each other and it was a part of their personal code to put family first. He wished all the nobles would follow that ideology.

The nobles... Many were fools... Many were cruel, arrogant, greedy, pathetic... He hated so many of them. They were the rulers, really. They stood in the chambers of the Central 46 and commanded the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 as they pleased. And atop them all sat the Spirit King.

No one knew what he looked like. No one knew his name. They simply knew that he existed. They knew he was largely insignificant in the broader workings of the universe, but they knew he was truly vital to the continued existence of the world as they knew it. He was the keystone. He was the linchpin of their world. The Shinigami kept balance, but it was the Spirit King who made it possible.

 _What do I want most in the world?_ He thought back on the stories he had heard from some of the nobles. Things about Hollows and Quincy and Humans. He knew there was more to their world than just Shinigami, but such things were not considered important to teach to an orphan child of a lesser noble family.

 _I don't know what I want..._ A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Wake up! I need to clean the room and you need to get to work!" The woman sounded irritated. Then again, she always sounded irritated. "Be quick about it!"

The boy rose and stretched, then hurried to get dressed before opening the door and stepping out under the glare of the housekeeper for the wing of the mansion he lived in.

"About time! Lord Shiba is expecting you in the main hall. I don't know what it is about, but it is important, so don't keep him waiting!" The woman swept past him and into the room, pulling a cart of cleaning supplies behind her. His eyes widened. He had never been summoned by the head of the family before...

He took care not to run into anyone as he sprinted toward his destination. If only he knew the Shinigami art of Shunpo, he would be there twice over already. However, lacking the knowledge and training, he continued to run. He arrived at the imposing door out of breathe and took a moment to breath. He heard voices inside.

"Do you intend to take the position from me, Brother?" That was Lord Shiba's voice. Feeling guilty before he even began to move, he leaned closer to the door, straining to hear more.

"It is not my intention to deprive you of your birth right! The Kuchiki clan has been making demands that you take a wife or that I step in as head of the family. I have children to carry on the family name. You know what they are like! Maintaining their nobility is all they care about." The second voice... He had heard it a time or two before during family gatherings.

"A wife... I assume they wish for me to choose one of them as a wife? They have no shame... My wife is dead, and all they care about is furthering their own status! You know there is only one answer I can give... I will publicly abdicate my position to you tonight. They will be your problem to deal with." He couldn't believe what he was hearing... Lord Shiba was going to give up his position as head of the family? What would happen to him? What if the new head decided he was not worth a bed and three meals a day? Would he be thrown out into the Rukongai?

"You know I will have to lean on you... I wasn't ever meant for this position. Our parents spared me the torture of learning the proper way of handling nobles once you found a wife..."

"You know I'll always be there for you, Brother. Do one favor for me, though. One of the lower nobles in service of our family was orphaned a few years back and I have allowed him to stay here and work until he is of age to attend the Shinigami Academy. If he does not show any aptitude and is not admitted when that time comes, take him in. Your children would not mind another sibling."

"Of course. I would have taken him in when it happened if you had asked."

"I considered it... But it didn't seem like the right decision at the time." Lord Shiba said.

Deciding he had waited long enough and heard far more than he should have, he knocked lightly on the door.

"Enter."

He pushed the heavy door open slowly and stepped in, looking at the familiar face of Lord Shiba and the similar visage of his brother.

"Sosuke, perfect timing. You will be of age to enter the Shinigami Academy in less than one year's time. I've kept an eye on you since we took you in, and I see a lot of potential in you. I also know you have an insatiable appetite for knowledge. The Shihoin clan owes me a favor, and I've requested that they allow you access to their library. I hope you will take this opportunity to prepare yourself for the Academy."

"Y-Yes my lord!" Sosuke bowed, overwhelmed by the great gift.

"Good. I doubt anyone has seen fit to introduce you to my brother, Reikotei Shiba. You will be... Seeing a lot more of him in the future." Lord Shiba smiled sadly at the boy. "I will no longer be acting as the head of the family as of this evening."

"Why?" He was careful. He did not want to give away that he had been listening at the door.

"Politics and the whims of old men who have grown too distant from the world they were meant to protect. It is of little consequence, really. My brother will be taking my place, and I will be free to teach you personally for the months between now and your entrance exam."

"I... What have I done to deserve such an honor?" It was unheard of for a great noble to teach someone as insignificant as him. He held no political potential... Then again, the Shiba clan cared little for such things.

"The few others I have taught would call my training a punishment, not an honor. What does the grass do to deserve the rain that makes it grow? It is simply my place to teach those able and willing to learn. Why do you think I became a teacher rather than a soldier? And I can not send you to the Academy not even knowing what a Hollow looks like!"

\- Line -

The months had passed slowly. Lord Shiba had become Master Shiba, and his training had been brutal. There were few days when he lay his head on his pillow and had the energy to even pull up a blanket. In the little free time he found, he buried himself in the archives of the Shihoin clan, learning all he could of the history of Soul Society.

It was the night before his exam when he revisited the world of reflections. The woman was waiting for him.

"What is it that you desire?" She asked once again. He had given it much thought, and as he read about the history of Soul Society, a desire had began to grow in him.

"I want to change everything... Instead of balancing the world, I want to unify it. Shinigami, Hollows, Quincy, Humans... We're all the same, really. We are all just souls in a cycle. I think the Shinigami are wrong. I don't think they are any better than the others. I think the only way to be better would be to exist as all of them. That's the kind of Spirit King that the world needs." Sousuke held the woman's gaze, and was relieved to see her smile radiantly at him. Like his mother would have.

"What you seek is no easy task. The world will fight you every step of the way. You will have to be clever, powerful, and willing to do terrible things to accomplish something so great..." The woman's voice was intoxicating.

"I'm going to the Academy tomorrow... I'll become strong enough..."

"You will, but not through the Academy. I will give you strength. You already have the cleverness. What you must find is the will to do whatever it takes to achieve your desire. You must be able to lie, cheat, steal, and kill. If you are willing, I will stand by your side, and I will give you the power to unify a world divided."

"I... I am willing. But who are you?"

"I am you. I am your soul. I am your strength. My name is-"

The pounding on the door jolted him from his dream state with a lurch. He panted and looked around.

"Sosuke! Get up! You don't want to be late on your first day or they won't let you have a second day!" Master Shiba's voice was outside his door. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood, opening the door and yawning at his teacher. He was expecting the kick, but with the dream still clinging to his mind, he was too slow and took the blow directly, landing heavily on the floor. "I know you've got more than that! Ten minutes! You're getting a warm up before I let you take the exam!"

Great. A Shiba warm up was enough to be the end of a Gillian on a good day. He decided he could dwell on the woman later. Right now, he needed his head on his shoulders if he expected to live to take the exam.

Thirty minutes and twelve nearly broken bones later, Sosuke was standing in front of the impressive Academy where his master had once been a teacher. He closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and took a deep breath. This was it. His first step.

The exam was a piece of cake. He knew immediately that Master Shiba had intentionally over trained him, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad. He was now officially a student and a Shinigami in training. He was no longer just a servant of the Shiba clan. He was on his own, and he would make his own path.

If he were honest with himself, he knew he was always more than just a servant. Tsukiba Shiba had been almost like a father to him the last few months, but Sosuke would not allow himself to think like that. He would have to destroy the nobles if he meant to unite the world. He would not be able to destroy them if he loved them, so he would not allow himself to care more than skin deep. He had already become adept at wearing his mask.

Sosuke Aizen was the star pupil of his class. His calm demeanor, his sharp mind, his elegant skill with a blade and control and precision with Kido. Girls flocked after him, always hoping to catch a glimpse of his heartwarming smile. He was always willing to lend his skills to a student in need, helping them along as if he found no greater pleasure. Teachers and students alike adored him.

He heard rumors that Master Shiba has met a woman a year after he left and that he had a son now. His brother had a third child at almost the same time. The four Shiba children were growing slowly, which spoke of incredible spiritual pressure, even at their young ages. He was glad he had not grown to care for them. He imagined destroying siblings would be even more painful than destroying a father figure.

It had taken next to no time for him to realize the woman was the spirit of his Zanpakuto. Within weeks, he could enter his inner world at will. She taught him to master her powers for over a year before allowing him access to the initial release. He was still the first in his class to reach Shikai.

It was in his fourth year that he felt his first twinge of doubt. A blonde haired boy two years his senior, who laughed easily and was always surrounded by friends. Not once did he cast a glance at Sosuke, but even so, he _knew_ the man was more than he seemed. He knew in his bones that this man would be trouble for him. A mind to call his equal. The truly terrifying thing was that no one saw how brilliant he was. He was not admired. He was not respected. He was treated like everyone else. A lesser noble in service of the Shihoin clan.

He consulted Kyoka Suigetsu about the man and she shared his concern. The man acted like a bit of a fool, but one look into his eyes and at the precision in his clumsiness and it was clear it was an act. Why hide such skill unless you were up to something? He would know. He was an expert in hiding just what he was capable of. Everyone thought he had a water type Zanpakuto, after all.

Another two years and the blonde man had graduated and joined the Gotei 13. Sosuke would not allow himself to forget such a potential threat, but he had more important things to worry about. He needed to choose a squad to join. The captains came for recruitment one every three months. He kept a close eye on them.

The first division... That would be a good strategic move, but it would put a great deal of suspicion on any actions he took. He had no intention of making a mistake, but he could not be certain at this point. The second division was led by a noble. That was out. The third division had changed hands recently and the captain offered no benefit and no obstacle to his goals. The fourth... He would sooner challenge Captain Commander Yamamoto than Captain Unohana. The fifth division's captain was another like the blonde man. He hid his true potential. It would be best to keep an eye on him as well. Maybe from inside his division.

The sixth division was led by yet another noble. The Kuchiki clan, no less. The seventh had also changed hands recently. The captain was unexceptional. The eighth was led by one of the first graduates of the Academy and a deceptively perceptive man. Sosuke knew his limits. He was not ready to engage that man in mental combat just yet. Better to keep his distance until he knew more. The ninth was led by a loud and hot headed man. His sense of righteousness would get in his way. The tenth was led by Lord Shiba. That was too close to home for his comfort.

There was no way he would be able to achieve his goals under the command of the Kenpachi of the eleventh division. The twelfth and thirteenth were both led by powerful captains he was not ready to face. He considered his options. Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth. It would be best to take one for himself and then station his loyal subordinate in another. Kaname Tousen would fit in well with Captain Muguruma in the ninth.

 _It is Captain Hirako I need to keep an eye on. I will join his division._ With a decision made, he stepped into his inner world to consult his Zanpakuto. They would spend hours working through the steps and senarios and details and possibilities. It had become second nature to him, to analyze a situation and plan ten steps ahead. But she was something else entirely. She had a plan laid out for over a century. A plan where he united the world and stood as a transcendent being.

\- Line -

He had made it. It had been easier than he had imagined to manipulate the captain of the fifth. All it had taken was a simple evaluation of the man's motivation and a change of tactics. A little suspicion was enough to make the man determined to keep him close. Perfect.

On the other hand, his experiments in the Rukongai had drawn upon him the wrath of a man who could one day grow dangerous. He had a plan laid out for him already. It was a minor concern, but if it were not handle carefully, it could become a disaster.

Recruitment was the best option. He could see at a glance the boy would do anything to achieve his goals. They were more similar than either would ever like to admit. The boy would kill on command if he believed it was leading to his vengeance. All he had to do was play ignorant and feed him just enough information dangerous to himself to keep him hooked.

Kaname Tousen continued to work for him within the ninth division, and was slowly working on an outcast of the seventh division. Captain Commander Yamamoto had taken him in and placed him, and yet no one had seen his face. That was a level of self doubt Sosuke could use to his advantage.

And the vengeful boy from the Rukongai... He would need to keep him close for a while, but eventually, he would do his bidding in the third division. Everything was coming together nicely in that aspect of the plan.

 _First, gain a foothold in Soul Society. Spies in the divisions and in the Rukongai. Next, a foothold in Hueco Mundo._ He had accomplished that not long ago. It had taken him the better part of his last year at the Academy to build the garganta, but now he had an unlimited supply of Hollows. _The plan has two results. I will become a perfect transcended being, and I will unite the world. Before I can unify myself or the world, I must first unify the components. A Hollow and a Shinigami is a good place to start._

His experiments finally yielded results, and in the same stroke he was able to get the erksome blonde man out of his hair and ascend to the rank of captain.

 _Next, Hollow and Quincy. The truly problematic step in the plan._

The experiment had not turned out as he had hoped, but they had not been worthless. Rather than a fusion of Quincy and Hollow, he would have access to a human child with the blood of Quincy, Shinigami, and Hollow. As close to a transcended being as the world had yet to see. He had felt only a moment of unease about what he did to his master's son. This was why he had kept his distance. One doubt nagged him, though.

 _Was this my doing, or Urahara's?_

The blonde man had found yet another way to be under his feet. They were both pulling the strings of fate. It was like a game of chess, now. Two unmatched minds carefully moving pieces on a board that encompassed the world. They were the only unknowns to each other.

With the child born, there was a modification to the plan. Something so vital could not be left to chance. Isshin Shiba's power was bound to keep the woman alive. The woman was strong and deadly, but easy to fool with his power. In an afternoon, he had guaranteed himself power over the child when he needed it. And what was more, no one would suspect that the boy was under his control as much as the rest of them.

 _Now, I need to finish my army._ He focused his efforts on his Arrancar. They were powerful, but only a stepping stone. In the end, they would be disposable. It should have sickened him how easily he could disregard a life now. Instead, they were nothing more than pawns with which he would win this game.

The boy grew and Sosuke put pawn after pawn in his way to craft his strength as he desired. One step at a time, he made the boy strong, and for once it seemed the blonde man was helping. Good. He didn't need to know he was training his own downfall.

The war came and went, and Sosuke sat bound in his cell. When the lights went out and the voices drew away, he grinned and plunged into his inner world.

"Kyoka Suigetsu. The plan is progressing as expected. Now we must wait for the Quincy to make their move. We should use this time wisely. I must be here to ensure that Soul Society survives the war. Ichigo has the strength to win now, but not the strength to bring everyone with him, as expected."

"Then it shall begin the next step of the plan. Do not forget. If you let your mind stagnate you will be useless when the time comes. I have left you puzzles. I will return when it is time for you to leave this place." The woman vanished. As he left his inner world, he felt her hand on his shoulder. He grinned wider. The fools believed he had fused with the Hogyoku. They believed it had destroyed his Zanpakuto then abandoned him. No... The Hogyoku was never within him to begin with.

The manifestation set off, leaving her master alone for the first time since he was a child. His power was weaker without her, but not insignificant. He would have more than enough to do his part. A minute here, an inch there. The small shifts in perception would go unnoticed, but they would change the course of the war. He needed Shinigami _and_ Quincy or there would be no world to unite.

The Thousand Year Blood War came to a close, but not with the whimper he had meant to snuff it into, but with a roar of defiance from Ichigo. He had more than a shadow of doubt now. The boy had exceeded his expectations many times over, but he had overlooked a single detail, and it kept coming up. Never enough to disrupt his plans, but always enough to make him uneasy.

The infinite potential of a living human that he had used to his advantage. But he had neglected to take into account exactly what that meant when he carried the blood of a Hollow. A Hollow, with the instinctive ability to draw out its _full_ potential. With no small amount of luck, the boy would not become too much stronger or even his hypnosis would not be enough to keep him in check.

As expected, he became a captain, and in time his family followed. The Shiba clan had come home. He doubted anyone alive knew or cared that he had once been considered a member of the Shiba clan as well. It was of little consequence.

The Delta Division was a stroke of luck. A step toward the unity he intended to build. A division of delegates from every race for the purpose of peace. To spread understanding and prevent another war. It took so much bloodshed to finally prompt an action that should have been taken thousands of years ago. There was still work to be done.

He realized, too late, that he and Urahara had never been at odds. They had both wanted the same thing. They had both taken the same steps. Now it was clear that there was only one difference in their plans. Sosuke had cast away his morality for the greater good. Urahara had chosen to rise above his obstacles through other means. Imagination and luck had been his allies. They were strong allies indeed, if unreliable.

His plan was ready to come to a close. His final experiment had proven successful. A Hollow and Quincy hybrid. It was strong. It had broken him free and fled, as it was always intended to do. Now was the final step. Now was when everything would come together or come crashing to the ground.

He knew now that Urahara would finish the plan once he was gone. He needed to draw out the Spirit King and strike him down. The the throne would be free.

Free for Ichigo to take, even though he did not want it.

Sosuke smiled and thought back to his master. A Shiba as the Spirit King. That was what the world needed. The Delta Division uniting the world. One more war and there could be lasting peace. What would lure the Spirit King out? What could he not stand for? A being that stood higher than nobility. A being that could defy his will.

Ichigo had come close, and it was the only wrench that could be thrown into the gears at this point. Sosuke had to make the Spirit King the enemy before Ichigo showed his true power, or it would have all been for nothing.


	21. Chapter 21

"Good morning Captain!" Mizuiro called out as he walked quickly toward the training grounds. The man in question waved lazily, a friendly smile fixed on his lips as always.

"Morning, Mizuiro. Good luck today." Shunsui Kyoraku called down the hall to the young man.

Today, Mizuiro would be taking his placement test for a seated position within the First Division. On one hand, he was afraid that if he succeeded, his friend Keigo might take it personally. On the other hand, he had postponed this for over a year, and practiced more than he had for anything in his life for this moment. He would not throw it away.

Keigo had been working constantly to achieve a seated position in the Eighth Division, under their mutual friend Ichigo Kurosaki, but had failed every time so far.

Mizuiro halted outside the training grounds and smoothed his uniform. He straightened his sword at his side and took a deep breath, then entered.

The grounds had been rearranged for exam day, the equipment all laid out in the most efficient way by the Division's Lieutenant, Nanao Ise. Nanao smiled warmly at the young man as he hurried to the end of the line, not late, but only a few minutes early. Something caught Mizuiro's eye.

At the edge of the field, a boy with black hair and sharp features sat side by side with a young girl. The girl's hair was dark blonde and pulled back in a thick ponytail. Both carried Zanpakuto, but neither had the red or blue of the Academy students yet. He recognized them immediately.

"What are Kaien and Kirio doing here?" Mizuiro asked Nanao, gesturing curiously to the pair.

"Oh, Lisa is helping with the exam today, so they decided to come along as well. They are under strict orders not to interfere in any way."

Mizuiro nodded his understanding as Nanao stepped back and began giving instructions to the assembled group.

The exam was simple, broken down into the four major types of combat a Shinigami is expected to be proficient in. Swordsmanship, hand to hand, Kidou, and flash step. In addition, there were four sections to test the Shinigami's mental abilities in problem solving and responding under stress.

Each participant took their turn, all the while being watched carefully by Nanao as kidou walls blocked their progress from the eyes of those waiting to take the test. Mizuiro was beginning to feel more nervous by the moment. If Lisa was there, it meant he would have to fight a Lieutenant level Visored. It was ridiculous to think they expected anyone to win, but surviving was going to be tough enough.

His turn came more quickly than he would have liked, and he dived head first into the exam. He passed swordsmanship by the skin of his teeth, shaking with adrenaline as he rubbed his throat. The blade had come far too close to leaving him headless. Hand to hand went only slightly worse, though he escaped with no broken bones that he could tell.

He was relieved to find his studying had paid off and he blew away the Kidou portion without pausing. Finally, the flash step segment left him exhausted but victorious at the end of the first half, without facing the masked woman.

Relaxing, and believing that the woman's participation may have only been as a second observer, the young Shinigami moved into the mental segment. The first challenge reminded him of the video games he had played in the living world. A number of different figured would pop up from behind walls and obstacles, and he would have to quickly judge if it were friend or foe, and whether to dispatch it with sword, fist, or kidou.

The second challenge was a labyrinth with questions at each fork. The right answer would take him through, while the wrong answer would lead him in circles. He was proud that he never had to back track.

The third challenge gave him ten cards, each with information on convicted prisoners. He was given two minutes to determine three of them to accompany him on a mission. He was unsure how he was supposed to judge the trustworthiness of anyone based on a flash card, but he made his best selection with what he had available.

When he entered the last segment, he thought maybe the exam was already over. Lisa sat in a comfortable looking room, her feet up on a desk, reading a magazine that Mizuiro was pretty sure counted as pornography.

"So, you made it this far, huh?" Lisa looked over the top of her magazine.

"Y-yeah..." Mizuiro looked around, hoping for a clue to what was going on. The woman yawned and stretched. As she uncrossed her legs, his eyes widened as he realized the skirt was the only thing she was wearing below the waist. As for above, the bikini top could not possibly count as an apporpriate uniform.

"Well, congratulations." She began walking toward him, her hip swinging enticingly. "You've earned a nice break, don't you think?"

"H-huh?" He swallowed, trying to tear his eyes away.

"The sofa is awfully comfortable... And there's a bed in the back, if you feel like... Lying down." Lisa whispered suggestively as she continued to draw closer. "What do you say, Mizuiro?"

"I... Uh..." He blinked. This was not what he was here for! "No! Please, just give me the fourth part of the mental test and let me finish!"

"Done." Lisa smirked and straightened up, adjusting her skirt a little higher and returning to the desk. "Straight out the back, you passed."

"What?"

"The test was to see if you could put duty ahead of pleasure. Anyone left behind you?" Lisa asked, her eyes not leaving her magazine.

"No... I think I'm the last one..."

"Then congratulations, you probably earned a seat. You're only the third candidate to pass."

"But... weren't there four women making the attempt as well?"

"Yeah, so?" Lisa grinned behind the paper. No need to tell him that Renji Abarai had swapped with her for those four laps. Let his imagination have fun where it pleased.

Mizuiro exited the final room and squinted as the bright sunlight beat down on him.

"You did very well. Please go back to the front so I can announce the results." Nanao motioned for him to return to the end of the field where the competitors had all started.

She read off the results. Five of the twenty candidates made seated positions. Two tied for twentieth seat, a man and a woman who both looked thoroughly embarrassed even half an hour after their turns. Another man made seventeenth seat, Mizuiro was give the fifteenth seat, and a man who had studied with him for the past month go the fourteenth seat.

More than pleased with his accomplishment, it took Mizuiro a moment to notice something amiss.

"Lieutenant Ise, did Kaien and Kirio already leave? I thought Lieutenant Yadomaru was still here?"

"What? They're right... Damn it! They've run off again! You're all dismissed. Excellent work today!" Nanao took off at a sprint before flash stepping out of sight.


	22. Chapter 22

_A long time ago, there was a boy with no name. He awoke in the most distant alley of the farthest district. On the edge of the Zaraki District of the northern Rukongai. The boy had no home. No family. No friends. No purpose._

 _The boy grew, and as he grew, he became stronger. One day, he began to grow hungry, as well. Food is hard to find in the 80th District, so he had no choice but to steal. The problem was, only the strongest men with swords had any food to steal. The boy was not scared, though. He had no home. No family. No friends. No purpose. No name. No food. No sword... And no fear._

 _He did not wait until night came to take the food. He did not bother with tricks. He walked up to the strongest of the men, and attacked with all the ferocity he had within him. He tore the man's throat out with his teeth, then took up the fallen man's sword. A ragged blade that had never been treated with any kindness. It suited the boy perfectly._

 _With the sword in hand, he killed the others. The blade stood as tall as the boy, but he never faltered. It was as if he had been born to carry a sword. Now he had food. Now he could grow even stronger._

 _Word spread that there was a terrifying murderer in Zaraki District. A child, no less. Men came from all around, hoping to kill the child and become heroes, but no one could touch him. He never spoke to those who came to fight him. He slaughtered man after man. Then, he met the woman._

 _She was the greatest killer that Soul Society had ever seen. Once a notorious criminal, now she served as a soldier in a band of thirteen deadly warriors. Among them, their leader was the strongest, but she alone was the most dangerous. Never in her life had she been beaten. Not once in her centuries of battle had she received a single scar. Her name was Yachiru Unohana, and she carried the title of Kenpachi._

 _The Kenpachi came face to face with the nameless boy as he stood atop a mountain of corpses. Covered in blood, they met for the first time._

 _Their battle was said to have been the most terrifying event any man had ever witnessed. In the end, even the Kenpachi was no match for the nameless child. They each scarred the other. The woman cut the child's face. The child stabbed her in the chest._

 _During the fight, something had changed. The boy felt fear. And in that fear, he finally felt joy. The joy of battle. Of risking ones life. Of fighting with every fiber of your being. He no longer accepted that his life was without purpose. He took up her title as his own that day. He became known far and wide as the Kenpachi of Zaraki._

 _He began traveling inward, fighting all the way. No one could hope to match him, though. He became bored. Next to the woman who had awakened his thirst for battle, no one could satisfy him._

 _He reached the Kusajishi District next. The 79th District of the northern Rukongai. There he met a nameless girl with bright pink hair. What surprised him more was that she had no fear. Just like him. His blood soaked clothes and sword did not scare her at all. When he left, they left together. She was very small, then, and he had grown to be a powerful man. She easily rode on his broad shoulders._

 _He gave her the name of the woman he admired and hated. The woman who had given him the joy of battle, then left him unable to be satisfied by another. Yachiru. And, in the same style as her adopted father, she took up the name of her home as well._

 _So, Kenpachi Zaraki and Yachiru Kusajishi began their journey together. They met two men one day. One an elegant and beautiful man, the other an arrogant warrior. The warrior challenged him, and although he fought with everything he had, he could not hope to defeat the man called Kenpachi._

 _However, the warrior was not killed. Kenpachi gave him a new path as a warrior. The warrior, a bald man named Ikkaku Madarame, and his friend, Yumichika Ayasegawa set off to become stronger and eventually stand beside the Kenpachi in battle again._

 _Eventually, after centuries of travel, Kenpachi and Yachiru finally reached Soul Society. However, a new man held the title of Kenpachi, and the woman who carried it first no longer fought. She was a healer. The nameless man of Zaraki slaughtered the man who called himself the Kenpachi of the Eleventh Division and took his place as Captain._

 _Not long after, the two men, Ikkaku and Yumichika, arrived and joined his Division._

 _Over the years, the Eleventh had always been the Gotei 13's special combat force, but under Kenpachi Zaraki, they were easily the most fearsome and most powerful Division. He appointed his daughter as his Lieutenant, and no one dared challenge the decision. Outside they may have thought him crazy, but in the Eleventh, she was respected as the second strongest in the Division. With good reason._

 _Ikkaku became the Third Seat, although he easily had the strength to be a Lieutenant or Captain in a lesser Division. He would rather fight alongside his hero and mentor. His friend, Yumichika, became the Fifth Seat, unwilling to take such an ugly number as four. And, as none in the Division could defeat him to take the higher seat, the Fourth Seat remained empty for years to come._

 _Time passed and the Kenpachi still could not find a challenge. He wore an eyepatch to devour his spiritual pressure and handicap his vision. He wore bells in his spiked hair so his enemies could hear him coming. And, unknown to himself, he began erecting mental barriers to limit himself. Weakening himself so that he could enjoy battle once again._

 _Then the invasion came and the Kenpachi stood face to face with an orange haired teenager. Not even a true Shinigami. A human. A substitute._

 _For the first time in a thousand years, the Kenpachi was truly satisfied with a battle._

 _Time passed, and the orange haired boy refused to fight him again. A war came, and even destroying Arrancar was not enough to make Kenpachi happy._

 _The war ended and peace came, for a time. The orange haired hero lost his powers and left Soul Society as a human._

 _Seventeen months later, he regained his power. There was hope for another battle for the Kenpachi._

 _Then a new war came. The Thousand Year Blood War. And finally, Kenpachi was able to face her once again. She fought him to the edge of death over and over, healing him each time, and slowly breaking down the limits in his mind. She taught him how to fight once again. How to fear. How to love battle._

 _She died, leaving him in a world without an equal._

 _The Kenpachi finally heard the nameless sword he carried calling out to him. He finally learned its name. The battlefield shook when he called out to it. The sky fell when it answered him._

Drink, Nozarashi!

 _The Weather Beaten One. A fitting name, for both Zanpakuto and Shinigami._

 _The war came to an end at long last, but there was still one battle left. The Kenpachi's final battle._

 _He spent the next weeks and months meditating. Every chance, he would fall in to his inner world and speak with his sword. No one will ever know what they discussed. Maybe they fought day and night. Maybe the Kenpachi wept for the death of the woman who made him who he was._

 _Feeling abandoned by her father, Yachiru went alone to face five Sternritters on her own. Ferocious though she was, she only killed two before they overpowered her. More than an average captain could have done, certainly._

 _Kenpachi came too late. His wrath was terrible. The world witnessed his fury made manifest with a single word._ Bankai.

 _For all the terror of the Kenpachi's final release, on the handle of his weapon, among the blood stained white bandages that wrapped the hilt, there was a single pink ribbon._

 _The three Sternritter fought to the bitter end. When all was done, they were reduced to nothingness, but the Kenpachi was gravely wounded. Perhaps, had they brought the Fourth Division with them, he could have been saved. Instead, he turned to his Third Seat and asked for a final fight. He wanted his loyal friend to take his place._

 _Ikkaku released his Bankai and struck the final blow. The Kenpachi of Zaraki was dead. Ikkaku Madarame became the Captain of the Eleventh and the Kenpachi. Zaraki and Yachiru were carried back to Soul Society on the backs of the Eleventh Division._

 _Their bodies were burnt and their ashes buried in the training grounds of their Division. Their swords were made into a monument to their memory. It still stands in the training grounds today._

 _So ends the story of the greatest warrior Soul Society has ever seen._


	23. Chapter 23

"As you all know, in the past millennium we have seen more than our fair share of conflict. Through the manipulation of Sousuke Aizen, the Arrancar and the Shinigami were brought to direct combat on a scale our worlds had never seen before, causing senseless casualties on both sides, for the selfish gain of that criminal. Then we were brought to all out war between the Shinigami and the Quincy by the "sealed king" Yhwach. Again, hundreds lost their lives, and in the end, it was all meaningless. The Shinigami and Quincy have been at odds with each other since the latter's beginning. Hollows and Shinigami are natural enemies, but Arrancar are more than Hollows. They are sentient and capable of choosing right and wrong. Visored, too, were cast out of Soul Society wrongly. Shinigami, Arrancar, Visored, Quincy... The repeated conflict and struggle between these societies has cost too many lives on all sides, and it must not be allowed to happen again.

"That is the purpose of this new addition to Soul Society, independent of the Gotei 13 and the Central 46. With permission from the Soul King himself, we have been granted equal authority within our ranks as the Central 46. With this power and responsibility, we will work to ensure that such senseless bloodshed never has to occur again. With that being said, it is my pleasure and honor to welcome you all to the first official meeting of the Ambassador Division. May I introduce the co-founder and primary liaison of the Shinigami, Kisuke Urahara." Uryu Ishida stepped to the side, allowing the former captain to take the podium and address those gathered.

"I'm glad to see you all made it! I guess I should explain a bit about myself first, although most of you know me already. I was a lesser noble of the Shihoin Clan and worked my way up the ranks of the Gotei 13, through the 3rd seat of the 2nd division and all the way to captain of the 12th, where I subsequently founded the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. It was at this time that Aizen caused several high ranking Shinigami to undergo Hollowfication. As part of his plan, I was exiled for the crime, but I was able to save their lives and let them become Visored rather than simply dying. Now, I will be working in a cooperative manner with the captain of the 12th on research and development of topics that may prove helpful to the continued peace between our societies. I think that is enough from me, so allow me to pass this over to me former Lieutenant and good friend, Hiyori Sarugaki!" Kisuke grinned and bowed in an exaggerated manner to the short woman as he stepped out of her way.

"Alright, I really don't have much to say. I was part of the initial group of Shinigami to successfully undergo and survive Hollowfication and become a Visored. Although for most of our existance we looked to Shingi Hirako as our leader, since he is a captain of the Gotei 13, the job has fallen to me to act as the liaison of the Visored. Next, welcome Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck." Hiyori all but ran out of the way, happy to no longer be the center of attention. She was replaced by a tall and well endowed woman.

"Greetings. I an Nelliel, and I will be acting as the liaison of the Arrancar in the place of Tier Halibel, our leader. I already consider some among the Shinigami my friends, and I believe it is possible for there to be peace between the Arrancar and the other societies represented here. I am honored to have been invited to speak on behalf of my people in this effort to unite all those with spiritual power. It's time to introduce the final liaison of the Unity Divison, Uryu Ishida, leader of the Quincy and co-founder of this division!" Nelliel smiled warmly as she allowed the Quincy to once again stand before the group assembled before him.

"In addition to the four of us, we also have a secondary representative or each society. For the Shinigami, Tessai Tsukabishi, former captain of the Kidou Corps. The Visored bring Hachigen Ushouda. The Arrancar are represented by Gantenbainne Mosqueda. And, representing the Quincy with me is my own father Ryuuken Ishida. The eight of us will be working to spread understanding of our societies to the others, and to find compromise and agreement between all four. It will not be easy. Over a thousand years of hatred, anger, violence, and distrust will take time and effort to break down, but I have hope that we can succeed.

"To finish our first meeting, I would like to request that every ambassador speak to those they represent and find out what issues each society thinks are the most important so that we can formulate a plan of action with which to move forward. Thank you all for your time and attention. We will reconvene in one week's time to discuss our next step. Good evening." Uryu bid farewell to the small assembly.


	24. Chapter 24

"Um... Kurosaki?" She shifted nervously as she addressed him.

"Hmm? Oh. You're in my calculus class, right?" Ichigo slowed his walk to look behind him. The girl sped up to walk beside him.

"That's right! My name is Yuki. So... I am having some trouble in calculus and it seems to come to you so naturally... I was wondering if maybe you could tutor me... Privately?" The girl blushed as she looked up hopefully at the orange haired man.

"Tutor? I'm probably not the best person. Aren't there volunteers for that?" Ichigo continued walking, not sparing another glance at the girl.

"There are, but they only offer help during certain hours... I could meet you where ever you want... My dorm... Your apartment..." Yuki continued gazing longingly up at him.

"You can schedule time with the tutors any time. They're flexible. I don't have time after class, working, and homework." Ichigo shook his head and readjusted his backpack strap on his shoulder.

Yuki sighed and dropped her head. It was like trying to flirt with a brick wall. A very obtuse brick wall at that. No wonder she had not seen any women with the otherwise perfect man. She stumbled back as she walked into his back. He had stopped. She looked up, hoping he had finally acknowledged what she was suggesting. She frowned when she saw he was focused several yards down the sidewalk.

Suddenly, he was sprinting away from her, leaving her to slowly understand what was happening.

"Rukia!" Ichigo's normal scowl had been replaced by an excited grin as he scooped a short, dark haired girl up in his arms and held her to him. She returned the embrace and buried her smiling face hin his shoulder. Yuki could only stare.

"Ichigo!" Rukia straightened her dress as she regained her feet. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. I didn't think I would see you again until Christmas! How did you get approval to visit me here?"

"I'm actually on an extended assignment from the Thirteenth Division. I'll be stationed here for... just short of four years, as it happens. Strange, isn't that the same length of time your human academy takes?"

"It is, actually." Ichigo felt another presence behind him and turned to find Yuki standing there, glaring daggers at Rukia.

"Who's she?" Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"Some girl who wants tutoring in Chemistry. No wait, Calculus." Ichigo scratched his head.

"Oh. I can tutor her instead. I know you are going to be busy working with your family. Calculus, at least, is something I picked up in the last year." Rukia offered. Yukia scowled harder.

"No thank you... I think I will just see one of the class tutors... You two seem to know each other."

"Yeah. We... We have been through a lot together." Ichigo smiled down at the black haired Shinigami.

"I see..." Yuki turned and walked away from the man, back toward the academic buildings.

"She likes you." Rukia smirked. Ichigo blinked.

"Really?" Ichigo watched the girl go, then shrugged. "Well, she'll find someone else."

"She'll have to. I don't plan on sharing you." She slipped her hand into his. "Do you have time to come see my apartment? My brother insisted I have suitable accommodation while I am here."

Line -


	25. Chapter 25

The scathing moon rises over the tenth. Ice follows and will weep at its setting. The fifth strikes and the archer intervenes. Death passes over its god and strikes the living instead. But the god of death never flinches in his duty. So death returns to him and the tenth mourns. Ice grows cold from unshared tears. One who protects and then two to protect. A family under the scathing moon. A sealed king and a grand fisher strike, their strings pulled from the darkness. The family broken.

Time heals the wounds. A new death god arrives under the scathing moon. The one gains another to protect, and finally strength to fulfill his duty. The empty ones seek to fill their hearts with those of the innocent. In vain they seek to devour. The one who protects stands in their way. More gods come for the one who gave him power. A crime must be punished. More strings have been pulled.

The one who protects has none to protect him. His power is taken. Death misses him by moments. The gods of death depart, and the one who protects is left to die alone. A ray of hope appears in green. Recovery comes and the one who protects is offered a chance. To save the one who made him strong, by becoming strong for her sake. The choice is easy.

The slaying moon rises. Power regained, for her sake. The death god, to be killed for her crime, awaits her end. Friends gather. One rejects even death itself. One rejects only gods of death. One rejects himself, but will protect what is dear to the one who protected him. The goddess of flash leads the way. The threads of fate now pulled from two directions.

Storm the gates of heaven. Fight through the armies of hell. A delay. Not yet strong enough. Two more days to do the impossible. The fire of a thousand blades, stopped by the slaying moon. The death god is saved. The one has protected her, with power gained for her sake. He faces the wrath of the god who stole his strength for the third time. He does not falter. His speed is superior. His strength does not fail him. A lesson, from brother to brother. Now, she is protected by two. The slaying moon and the thousand cherry blossoms.

The fifth discards his mask. The moons reflection in still water is disrupted, and the truth revealed. The spear and the cricket follow after, though one with hidden motives. The threads of fate seem to sway in favor of the fifth. Time passes. The empty ones are filled with purpose by the reflection. Illusions. Strings pulled in the shadows for a plan no one sees. A plot within a plot within a plot. The one who rejects is taken by the emptiest one.

The one who protects will not be so easily dissuaded. No order will ever trump his purpose. He protects. Always. A world of empty ones. A world devoured. Hollow. The one leads the charge, but never alone. An empty one, who is not so empty. The snake tail makes an oath. They will live.

The one who rejects is found. The one who protects and the emptiest one meet. The slaying moon has almost set. The light has faded when a call for help reaches him. Even death can not keep him from his purpose. He must protect. Even at the cost of his heart. The emptiness swallows the moon. The light is gone, but the new moon hangs high. The emptiest one falls. A dry leaf before an inferno.

The moon shines again. Friends shaken but alive. The slaying moon will not set today.

The one returns to protect the ones left behind. The illusion has come with the empty ones to make a key with those he considers less than himself. It is cruel irony. Those he tramples are what he seeks. Those who are beyond death. The living. Simple, but the greatest mind overlooks the simplest thing in favor of his grand scheme.

The crimson princess does not leave the threads of fate in the hands of the illusion. Balance is maintained. The scathing moon blazes bright but fades before the illusion, side by side with the crimson princess and the goddess of flash. The scathing moon shows secrets to the slaying moon. Months pass in an hour. The slaying moon will set today. The moon is reflected in the still water. There is no reflection with no moon. The illusion is broken when the slaying moon gives way to the moonless sky.

The crimson princess does not miss the moment of action. Fate's threads swing away from the illusion. For now.

Time passes in the wake of the moon's setting. In the darkness, the one who gave him power mourns. A tempting ally offers power. The one who protects seeks only to protect once again. Without his power, he can not fulfill his purpose. It is worse than death. His power returns, slowly. The moon can be seen over the horizon.

The gods of death come again, this time to raise the moon, not to extinguish. The tempting ally shows his true nature. A mere shadow of the moon who wishes to retake his place in the sky. The slaying moon blazes again. To protect, his power is unequaled by a mere shadow. The one can protect once again.

A thousand years of hatred finally breaks and calls for a thousand years of blood. A war without equal calls the one to protect more than ever before. Those beyond number come from above and they take the broken one to their home. He heals. He grows strong. Strong enough to protect? Not yet. He is not complete.

The one must accept even his emptiness before he can be full. He must be full to protect them now. The slaying moon must not hide behind the smallest cloud if it hopes to outshine the new darkness. A darkness made of light.

The scathing moon recalls his fall. The slaying moon accepts himself. Now the moon's true form is revealed. To protect and to defend. Not only a god of death, but an empty one as well. And under it all, the same light he works to outshine.

The war rages. Lives are lost. At last, the slaying moon rises dark and mighty. A new moon again. The light is no match. The war ends, but it is no victory. Too much blood lost. Too many who were not protected.

Time passes. Hearts mend. The slaying moon takes its rightful place in the sky. Among thirteen stars, it shines the brightest. The slaying moon becomes the black sun and takes the white moon as his partner.

They have all forgotten the illusion. Unsuspecting, the crimson princess no longer fights for control of the threads of fate.

A twisted moon rises.


	26. Chapter 26

The moon's reflection hatches a plan. The board is set. It is a gamble. He thinks a thousand moves ahead. A simple goal. To save them all from a thousand year curse. If the prophetic song speaks true, the sealed king will come again. His gamble counts on it. It will be the only thing to make his sacrifice worth it.

In his soul, he plans. Twists and turns. No one can know. Anyone may be the enemy. So, with his sword at his side and in his mind, he begins to make his way toward the center of the Rukongai. It will be a long journey. Almost as long, he feels, as the journey to the awaited time when the sealed king will make his appearance.

He reaches the court of pure souls. He studies and finds himself adept at everything he learns. He soon graduates and becomes a god of death. His plan is still in mind, but his success has dulled his purpose with pride. He sees those around him and begins to think himself superior. Then he wonders. Maybe, rather than save the Soul King from the Sealed King, he could simply become the Soul King. He was brilliant and powerful, and with his ability, he could surely defeat the Sealed King and his men.

But how to become the Soul King? To rule over all souls, he would have to transcend all souls. Shinigami and Hollow alike. To reach the Soul King, he would need a king's key. And so, his plan began to change. A thousand steps became ten thousand as his ego twisted and turned his means to reach ever new and loftier goals.

He found one man to be his equal. Yet another goal. To surpass that man. The one who's strength and intelligence went almost completely unnoticed. His would not. His would be honored. Worshiped, even. He followed the research of this humble man. He stumbled upon a tool of unimaginable potential. A new step in his plan. He would make it his own.

The tool was incomplete, but the principle was simple. Enough spirit energy to activate it, and it would give the power to surpass Shinigami and Hollow. The limits placed on them in death would fall away and allow him to rise higher than anyone before. It was irresistible. The Sealed King could wait. He still had over a century. He would be the Soul King well before then.

He began his own experiments as he rose through the ranks. He became a Lieutenant in the Fifth. His captain, though lacking his vast intellect, far exceeded him in his own simple observant ways. Under his gaze, he felt his plans unraveling. No one would outsmart him though. He could use the man's distrust.

The whole of the Court of Pure Souls was under his control, though none of them knew it. The moon's reflection was a powerful thing. There was one he could not control, though. A young man who had no power of sight to cast illusion upon. Luckily, the only thing he needed to sway this man to his cause was the promise that he was working to save them all from the Sealed King. His path would be bloody, but in the end, less blood would be shed for his actions. So he gained his first ally.

There was still that man of the Twelfth, though. The crimson princess and the moon's reflection danced in the shadows, always waiting for the other to falter. Finally, opportunity arose. In the course of feeding the tool, he attracted the attention of the Court Guard Squads. It would give him the opportunity to test his latest theory, as well as to eliminate his one true threat.

So were born the Masked Ones. Visored. Shinigami who had donned the masks of Hollow. His enemy was cast out. A victory for his plan. But even so, he could still feel the uneasiness of letting such a dangerous man live.

Time passes and he gathers a new ally. An ambitious and ruthless boy, with a sharp mind and a sharp wit. The perfect man to stand at his side. All he needs to do is guide him. But beneath that unfaltering smile he knows there is something lurking. He can not let his guard down around this one.

His army is in progress. As he feeds the tool, he turns his attention to the world of the Hollow. Those rare few who have transcended their own kind in even a trivial way are brought to his cause. They too are drawn to the prospect of power and their own salvation. Those two goals together will win him every ally he ever needs. They need never know they are disposable.

The scathing moon rises over the Tenth. One of the great noble houses, but in no way incredible. He does not know why he is filled with dread at the appearance of this man. He drives him out. His newest creation nearly kills him when an archer intervenes. Saved by a Quincy. What irony, the enemy he set out to vanquish should stand in his way even now.

He turns his attention away, but it is drawn back soon. The crimson princess has worked a miracle. A child will be born who transcends Hollow and Shingami, as well as Quincy. An anomaly that could never exist, but will be born once in all of eternity. He is in luck. At the falling of the scathing moon, a new moon may rise for him to reflect.

He is a captain now. His grinning ally has risen to the same rank, while he has taken on a new Lieutenant. The tool has progressed well, but it has yet to awaken. It needs something else. The answer comes to him. The crimson princess will aid him this time. He makes his plan, and then decides it is time to take the measure of the next moon.

The young reaper is sent to the crimson princess. In her soul, the man implants his failed tool so that it can never be recovered. She will never be a god of death again. Or at least, that is the plan.

A fight. A family in danger. Powers transferred to save his sisters.

The slaying moon rises.

Power suits him. His purpose can finally be fulfilled. To protect. To defend. It is what he lives for. Now he has the strength to do it. He and the small god of death grow close as they fight side by side. He comrades come and steal her away. They leave him powerless to protect.

The crimson princess raises him up. His powers awaken. The strength of a Shinigami. The instinct of a Hollow. The infinite potential of a Human. He is exactly what the moon's reflection hoped and feared he would be.

The one who lives to protect comes for the girl, just as he was always meant to. Through adversity he grows strong. Stronger and faster than anyone could ever have imagined. Maybe, just maybe, through this child, all of his goals will be attained. Strong enough to open the King's Palace. Strong enough, maybe, to defeat the Sealed King. All he needed to do was survive and let the boy do what came naturally. Manipulating him will be as easy as setting up the right people for him to protect at the right times.

His army grows and then falls, just as planned. The final battle rages and he is imprisoned. It all goes according to plan. They believe with all their hearts that they have won. The boy loses his powers, but they will return. Thanks to his beating human heart. The time of the slaying moon has not come to a close yet.

Seventeen Months. The Sealed King has arrived. The bloodiest war of all time erupts. No one is spared from the fury of the hatred of a thousand years. His true enemy comes to offer an alliance. Of course he declines. He has already won. This is what he had planned for from the start.

The Sealed King faces the one who protects. Twice he is victorious. The third time, the Sealed King falls. And it is thanks to him, though no one will ever know. Nine days, the Quincy had, to take the world. His last illusion. The Sealed King never knew he missed his moment. He thought he had one more day, but in reality, he lost his war on the ninth hour of the tenth day.

Time passes and the slaying moon rises high in the sky. He marries the one who brought him the power to protect. He becomes a captain and a hero. He has a child. A son. The twisted moon. He carries the name of her lost hero.

Time passes. The sentence carried out. The moon's reflection walks free again. The Sealed King is dead. The hatred toward him has waned, but will never truly die. He did end many lives. That would take more than 20,000 years to forgive.

Now he had only one more ambition. To take the throne. The highest seat in all the worlds. To be the Soul King.


	27. Chapter 27

"Yumi... Why didn't you tell me?" Ikkaku asked quietly. He clenched his fists at his side, but couldn't bring himself to turn his glare on his best friend.

"Because... I was afraid. This is my home. I may not be the typical member of the 11th, but I can't imagine being anywhere else... It is the unwritten rule of the 11th, only melee type Zanpakuto are allowed..." Yumichika sat on his bed, his sword laying across his lap.

"I told you my secret, but you kept yours from me... What kind of a friend does that?"

"I hate to break this to you, but yours wasn't much of a secret." Yumichika's mouth curled upward against his will. Ikkaku looked directly at him for the first time since he had learned his secret.

"Not. The. Point!" The bald man growled.

"I am sorry, Ikkaku. I should have told you long ago. But what if Captain Zaraki had ordered me to leave the division?"

"Then I would have left with you. You've fought beside me from the day we met. I respected Zaraki. I admired him and I was loyal to him, but you've always been my best friend, Yumi." Ikkaku shook his head. "You're strong. Zaraki would have never kicked you out. Who'd do all the paper work?"

"You make a good point." The beautiful man stood up and looked at his sword, then held it out to his friend. "I should have never doubted you. And I promise, I never will again."

For a moment, Ikkaku maintained his glare, then relented and grasped the hilt of the short, curved blade just above Yumichika's hand.

"You better not."

Line -

"Captain, you have a visitor." Rangiku forced her face to remain passive, while inside, she was bouncing with excitement. The white haired shinigami, who was finally beginning to look like a teenager, though not nearly his true age, looked up from the last sheet of paper in his stack with a sigh.

"Matsumoto, I am nearly finished for the day. Unless the whole of Soul Society will be wiped out in the next ten minutes should I ignore this call, I would appreciate it if you would inform them I am busy." Toshiro Hitsugaya resolutely turned his attention back to his work, his pen moving steadily toward the signature which would signal the end of his day.

"Oh, I think they would be very displeased if you turned them away. After all, you did schedule this appointment... four years ago?" Matusmoto leaned on his desk, ensuring her chest obscured his view of the paper he was intent on working on. He slowly began turning red, whether from anger or embarassment, it was hard to say.

"You will not allow me to finish my work until I see this visitor?" He asked calmly.

"You got it, Captain." She let her internal grin come out as a slight smirk. His eyebrow twitched, but he finally nodded. With a small skip, she ran to the door. While she was on her way, he hurridly scribbled the last line and signed the page before tossing it into the pile of completed forms. The door swung open, and a figure walked across the room.

The figure in question was a black haired woman, dressed in the white and red of a student at the shinigami academy. She had her long raven locks tied back in a simple pony tail. If it were not for her confident stride, cocky grin, and fiery grey eyes, he would never have recognized her.

"K-Kurosaki?!" He stammered, eyes widening as he stood up from his desk. "You can't be dead..."

"Nope. Learned another bad habit from my idiot brother. I left my body right after graduation, and joined the academy. Urahara rattled off a big pile of science mumbo jumbo about why I need to keep my physical body and spend at least a day in it every year. He also gave me some special pills so that my body and soul will age at different rates. But besides that, I'm going to be a regular shinigami." Karin Kurosaki walked across the room and sat on the white haired boy's desk. "So, you think there is a place for me in the Tenth?"

Line -

The silent procession was almost unbearable to watch. The war was long over, but the Quincy had struck one final devastating blow. And none were more devastated than the Eleventh. Many would be unable to recognize the somber group that was widely known for their riotous energy. At the head of the procession, Ikkaku Madarame walked with his head bowed low. Over his shoulders hung the white captains Haori, torn and stained with blood. His back was bent as if the white cloth carried the weight of the great man who wore it until that day.

At the end, ready to catch his friend if he should fall, walked Yumichika Ayasegawa. The battle had cost everyone in the division a great deal. They had lost their beloved Lieutenant. Ikkaku had lost his hero and mentor. And Yumichika may have lost his closest friend. At the height of the battle, when he had to choose between his secret and the life of his friend, he chose to save Ikkaku's life by fully releasing his Shikai.

In the center of the crowd of warriors, carried on a stretcher made of scraps on the battlefield, lay the broken body of Kenpachi Zaraki. On his broad chest, curled as if she were asleep, was Yachiru Kusajishi. Their swords lay along side them, the longer one chipped and ragged as ever, and the shorter one snapped in two.

"What happened? Who killed Zaraki?!" Some one shouted from the crowd of onlookers. The procession slowed as Ikkaku's feet stumbled. Few could hear his mumbled reply.

"I did..."

Line -

"Kurosaki. Am I to assume you are here to inform me that I should surrender all hope for a peaceful Soul Society, as you are moving here permanently?" Byakuya Kuchiki sighed as he opened the door to find the orange haired hero.

"Well, that's part of it. Do you mind if I come in? I'd like to have a few words in private." Ichigo said, looking around the mostly empty division training grounds. The noble captain raised an eyebrow, but nodded and turned, leading the younger man into his office.

"What is it that you wished to speak about?"

Ichigo shifted nervously, then pulled a small box from his pocket, passing it to the head of the Kuchiki family.

"I... I want to ask for your permission to marry Rukia."

"And if I were to refuse, would you respect my wishes and cease all romantic pursuit of my sister?" Byakuya asked, looking at the small silver ring that set in the box. Inside the ring was an inscription showing a black sun and a white moon eclipsing each other.

"No. I'm sorry, but I am asking for your permission, but the only consent that truly matters to me is hers. However, your permission would mean a lot to her." Ichigo stood taller. "For what it is worth, it would mean a lot to me too."

"Rukia is the heir to the Kuchiki family. It is expected that she marry a ranking noble. You are asking me to jeopardize the future of my family." Byakuya kept his tone even as he closed the box and handed it back.

"That... Really isn't an issue anymore. The Shiba clan has been reinstated as the fifth great noble family." Ichigo took a moment to enjoy the brief look of shock that passed across the older man's face.

"..." Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment. "As an older brother yourself, you will understand that I will hold any of Rukia's suitors to an impossibly high standard. They must be ready to die for her. Strong enough to protect her. Pure of heart and intentions. You may well be the only man I have met who could meet these standards."

Without warning, the captain drew his Zanpakuto and flicked it under Ichigo's chin.

"You will protect her. You will make her happy. And if you ever once give me reason to doubt your intentions, you will not have time to release your bankai." He reluctantly lowered the sword. "You have my permission, and my blessing to marry Rukia."

Line -

"Shunsui! Get out here!" Ichigo shouted at the door. "Ise, I'm going to kick your captain's ass, if there is anything you'd like to add on!"

"Oh, what has he done now?" Lieutenant Ise Nanao stepped out of the next door, a book gripped dangerously in one hand, ready to pile her own punishment on the lazy man.

"He's been teaching Kaien an endless stream of shenanigans to get him in trouble, and by extension, get me in trouble. Kaien went and died Byakuya's haori pink. I'm lucky I'm not farting flower petals." Ichigo turned back to the slab of wood standing between him and his target. "Shunsui, if you don't open this door, you'll just have to put up a new one tomorrow!" Nanao winced in sympathy, both for her captain, who was facing imminent doom, and for the orange haired captain, who had dealt with the wrath of Captain Kuchiki.

"Alright, alright. I surrender! I do apologize, Captain Kurosaki! Kaien just overheard Juushiro and I reminiscing over our academy days! I promise, I was not passing ideas along with the intention of corrupting the young minds of the Seireitei!" The captain commander of the Gotei 13 slowly eased the door open, hands up in a gesture of peace. For a moment, it looked like he had talked his way out of it. Then Ichigo snatched the book from Nanao's hands and smacked the man's head so hard his hat was left floating for several seconds before it reunited with its host.

"Don't you start with that formal crap! I've told everyone a dozen times, it is Ichigo! Captain Ichigo if you absolutely have to! I'm not going to put up with two people being called 'Captain Kurosaki'!" The orange haired hero returned the book to the startled lieutenant and sighed. "Hey, Ise, Lisa wants to know what night you have off. She wants to take off and catch up some."

"Oh! I am free tomorrow, if that is convenient for her." Nanao clutched her book possessively, slightly at a loss for what to do when she was not the one wielding it as a weapon.

"I'll let her know." He turned back to the older captain, who was sitting on the floor and leaned casually against the wall, as if he had not just been brutalized with a fantasy novel. "If my son puts any more of your stories in to action, you're head's gonna get introduced to the entire Seireitei library."

Ichigo waved his goodbye casually to the pair left behind him. Down the hall, Mizuiro chuckled to himself. He would tell his friend later that he was the one who suggested to the boy that he try out some of the experienced trouble maker's ideas. But it would be much, much later. Long enough that he would not be introduced to any large books.

Line -

"What the hell, Hiyori?! That hurts!" Shinji Hirako shouted, the stinging outline of a flip-flop visible on his cheek.

"Then don't make stupid suggestions! There is no way I am joining the Fifth Division! And I won't join the Twelfth under that stupid clown, so you're just gonna have to declare this room my own sovereign nation within the Fifth!" The short woman demanded. Shinji made the mistake of laughing at the suggestion and received an identical flip-flop outline on his other cheek.

"You're gonna teach our daughter bad habits! I don't want her poor future husband to be as badly abused as me!" He pretended to pout, but dodged the next slap. He was running out of cheeks and he needed those for sitting.

"Yeah? Well I want her daughter to be able to take care of herself in case she falls for some idiot jerk like you!" Hiyori dropped her shoe to the floor and slipped her foot into it. "Where is she, anyway?"

"Probably out causing trouble with Kaien again." Shinji blew the hair out of his face. "Your own sovereign nation, huh?"

"That's right..." She blushed. "With... diplomatic relations with the Fifth. Frequently."

Line -

"Yumi, you got that paperwork done yet? Hey, Yumi, are you in... here... Tatsuki?" Ikkaku stopped and stared, his mouth hanging open. Inside the room, Tatsuki Arisawa lay naked, covered only by a thin sheet and one of Yumichika's bare arms. "Damn... I just lost two bets at once..."

"Captain?" The woman stirred, blinking in confusion at Ikkaku. Then her situation caught up with her and she yanked the sheet more firmly around herself. "Get the hell out!"

"Ikkaku, please close the door. The paperwork is finished and on your desk." Yumichika cast a cocky grin over Tatsuki's shoulder at his best friend.

"Think he'll care about the fraternization regulations that seem to have been completely thrown out the window by the rest of the Gotei 13? You know, since the Eleventh has always been the upholders of proper protocol and such." Tatsuki asked once the door had closed.

"He is still trying to riddle out the finer points of fraternization himself. With my expert guidance, of course. He need not concern himself with the two most beautiful members of the Eleventh and what we choose to do with our free time." Yumichika waved his hand dismissively.

"Only of the Eleventh? What brought on this modesty?" Tatsuki grinned.

"Oh, very well. Two most beautiful in Soul Society. We have about two hours before he realizes I lied about the paperwork, and it will only take me ten minutes to finish it..." Yumichika left the sentence hang. The woman rolled on top of him.

"I think we can drag it out."

Line -

"There are more Quincy than we had expected... Can we really do this?" Love looked to the man who was leading them on this last attempt to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Ichigo took a moment to look at his allies. Four visored. Love, Hachi, Hiyori, and Lisa. He shook his head slowly.

"I don't know. But we have to try. We're all dead if we don't, so what's it matter?" He grinned and gripped his zanpakuto tightly in each hand. "Hey... This sounded painfully lame before, but I can see the appeal now." He released one of the handles and extended the free hand into the middle of the group.

"They still do this? I thought it was going out of style a century ago..." Lisa chuckled and placed her hand on top of the orange haired hero's. Slowly, the other three followed suit.

"We, at this moment, prepare to enter the decisive battle! Have faith that our blades will not shatter! Have faith that our resolve will not waiver! And if our paths should diverge, we share a heart of iron! Swear, that even if the ground beneath our feet should be rent asunder, we will live, and return here, together!" Ichigo spoke loud and clearly, eyes closed, remembering the last time he had heard those words. They had pulled it off then. In this very world. Now, it felt like they had hope.

"You better live through this thing. They're bound to make you a captain, and I think I could follow you." Lisa pulled her mask over her face, and her voice took on the doubled, echoing tone of the hollow. "So, what's the plan?"

"Love and Hiyori will guard Hachi and get him to Halibel unharmed. His kidou should be enough to free her from anything the Quincy have cooked up. Lisa, you come with me. We'll free any arrancar we find, and create a distraction to draw away the guards." Ichigo said simply.

"You think you can fight the Quincy with just the two of you? You're crazy! Idiot!" Hiyori growled. Ichigo's grin grew and twisted as the mask grew on his face.

"You mean with the three of us? Yes. I think we _can_ fight the Quincy. They won't know what hit them." The hollow and Ichigo were not competing for control. He had accepted his power, and so it had accepted him. "Now, go!"

Line -

"Kaien Kurosaki! You're late! Sit down!" The enormous man at the head of the class room growled loudly. The black haired child ran to his seat quickly, avoiding the stern gaze of his teacher.

"Sorry, sir."

"Right. Where is Kirio Hirako? She is usually here before you, even when she's in the same pile of trouble." Sajin Komamura asked, looking around as if the girl might be hiding nearby.

"Uh... She won't be in today." Kaien said, not looking up at the former captain.

"Explain." Sajin new from experience that although he would find no end of ways to get in trouble, the boy would not lie, and would not ignore a direct order.

"She went overboard training this morning." It became clear that Kaien wasn't avoiding the specifics to avoid self incrimination, he was protecting her privacy. Sajin nodded.

"Very well."

Class passed without incident, and as the students were filing out at the end of the day, the werewolf caught Kaien and held him back.

"I respect your decision not to share her activities with the entire class, but I would like to know the condition of my students. What happened this morning?"

"She hollowfied for the first time. She attacked me, and when she was in control again, she was really shaken up. Her parents wanted to spend the day with her, and help her get better control of her inner hollow, now that they know she was born a visored." Kaien explained. Sajin was not surprised. One thin did surprise him.

"Why aren't you with her?"

"She asked me to let her deal with this one with her family first, and she'd talk to me this evening. I'm supposed to bring the work she missed as well."

"I see. In that case, here. Get that to her, and pass on my best wishes to her and her parents. I won't keep you any longer."

Line -

"C-Captain!" Omeada jumped at the sudden entrance of his superior. He quickly hid the bag of crackers he had been eating stood at attention, waiting for the wrath that was sure to be dropped upon him.

"Hm? Oh, you. Take today off. No training today." Soifon waved dismissively at the man. He stared in shock. A day off? That didn't happen. If he was to receive time off, he would have to request it a month ahead, and then he would have to toe the line for that month or risk having it revoked. She wasn't even wearing her white haori.

"Uh... Captain? Are you feeling alright?" Omeada was not eager to question here sudden generosity, but he was also completely loyal to her, and if there was something wrong with her, he would always be there to help.

"I'm perfectly fine." Soifon smiled happily. Her lieutenant's confusion and concern only grew. Soifon smiling? Handing out time off without a literal fist fight? Out of uniform in front of a subordinate? Was she _humming_?! A door opening drew the attention of both ninjas. The large man immediately turned his red face away from his captain's open door.

"Little Bee, what are you doing up so early? I thought you were going to give the division the day off..." Yoruichi yawned and stretched, wearing nothing but Soifon's white haori, which was riding dangerously high due to the stretch.

"I was going to fix breakfast and surprise you after I told them to take the day off. Why are _you_ up so early?" Soifon was not at all fazed by her idol's lack of clothing, nor the impressive shade of red Omeada had become.

"The bed's a lot colder without you. I'd rather have my heater than breakfast." The noble woman smirked, beckoning suggestively. Omeada could not justify staying another moment. He decided it would be in the best interest of his continued breathing to exit immediately and ensure no one else entered the office area for the rest of the day. Just before he had closed the door behind him, his captain addressed him and he heard a hint of her usual tone through her happiness.

"If one word of this leaves this room, I will cut out your tongue with Suzumebachi."

Several members of the second division learned that the large, incompetent man could flash step as well as one would expect of a highly ranked member of the Stealth Force, when properly motivated.

Line -

"What is it that you really want?" Ichigo stood on the window of a sky scraper, arms folded and facing his double. "Do you still want to overthrow me and take my body?"

"No... Although it is fun to be able to fight someone besides you. Taking your body has... lost its allure... I experienced something better when we merged. For that time, we were _one_ , King. It wasn't my soul in your body. It was _our_ soul. I had a heart, King!" The hollow sounded close to crying or yelling. "I wasn't hungry anymore... I didn't feel the need to eat souls... I was satisfied for the first time since I came into existence. I... I want to feel that again. I want to have what no hollow can have..."

"You want us to merge again... Can we even do that? I thought that was a one time deal... It seemed so final, I guess I never thought about it being possible to do again. Old Man!" Ichigo shouted, and before his voice stopped ringing in the air, the manifestation of his Quincy powers stood by them. "Is it really possible for us to merge again?"

"Of course. If you can accept us. We are one being. We are your power. You have only to call us into your soul, and we will be one again. However, your power will be too great to stay in the living world. Even as you were with Rukia's power, you had a significant effect on those around you. With the entirety of your power, you would run the risk of bringing about the apocalypse. And if a single hollow were to get lucky and eat your soul, it would become more powerful than any Vasto Lorde to ever live. If you accept these risks, I have no objections. My power will still be used to protect you, Ichigo."

Ichigo stood for a moment, thinking over the situation. Then he turned back to his hollow.

"When I graduate. Five years, I will graduate from college and come to Soul Society permanently. When I do that, we'll merge again. Okay?"

"Yes, King. That is worth waiting for. Even for five years." The hollow stepped forward, and rather than draw his sword, he extended his hand. "For that, I will protect you as well. I will fight for you. I will fight _with_ you."

"Thank you... Zangetsu."

"You must do one other thing for me, King... Protect our Queen." The hollow met the eyes of the King and they both nodded as they shook hands. They both knew who the Queen was.

Line -

"Hey Karin, what's wrong?" Rangiku Matsumoto asked the new third seat curiously. The fiesty girl was unusually subdued, moving through her paperwork steadily, but more slowly than ever.

"It's nothing." The young woman's eyes flicked up to the captain's closed door. Rangiku sighed. Of course.

"You aren't doing anything wrong. It's just terrifying to him."

"Why? He's been a captain for longer than I have been alive... How can a date scare him?" Karin asked angrily. Rangiku took the pen from her before she murdered the paper and had to start over.

"Because he is afraid that the girls he likes all suffer. Momo was broken by Aizen. It is a miracle she ever recovered, and she has never been quite the same again. And just when he was coming to terms with the fact she would never look at him the same way again, he got close to Yachiru. She died in less than a year."

"I didn't know about Yachiru... I only met her once or twice... I came to the celebration at the end of the war. She was the Lieutenant of the Eleventh, right?" Karin asked.

"That's right. She was the adopted daughter of the Kenpachi of Zaraki, the captain of the Eleventh before Ikkaku. I'm sure you remember him." Rangiku smiled at the wide eyed nod. No one could forget meeting a man like that.

"He must know that neither of those were his fault... He's brilliant. He can't possibly be that stupid when he is that smart." Karin growled. Rangiku laughed.

"You'd think so, but he's not as mature as he would like others to think he is. He is a genius. He is powerful. He is a wise leader and a good captain. But he's still just a teenager, really. And he made himself grow up too fast. He was so busy learning the lessons of an adult that he forgot to learn the lessons of a child. But he will learn. You'll just have to be patient with him."

"I waited eighteen years just to become a part of his division... How patient do I have to be?" The dark haired girl asked. Rangiku didn't have an answer. Someone did, though.

"I think you've been patient enough. Friday, as soon as the paperwork is finished." The white haired captain walked past them. Neither had heard his door open. Neither saw the small smirk on his face. He hated to admit it, but sometimes his lieutenant knew just what he needed to hear.

Line -

"Dead? No... She can't be dead!" Ikkaku shouted at the blood splattered messenger. He grabbed the man, a seated officer of the second division, and shook him by the shoulders. "She has to be alive! You must have been mistaken!"

"Third Seat Madarame, I am not mistaken. I am sorry. Now I must report to your captain. I am under orders to deliver this news to him at once." The messenger reached into the bag at his side and pulled out a long cloth package. He unwrapped it. Inside lay a pink wrapped sword hilt and three inches of jagged metal. "Do you believe me now?"

Ikkaku sank to the ground and reverently lifted the remains of the sword. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"We will deliver this and the news to our captain. Thank you for your service." Yumichika forced his voice to remain strong as he dismissed the man. For a moment it looked like he might argue the orders, but decided against it. The Eleventh Division was dangerous enough when they were not emotional.

Yumichika waited until the second division officer was out of sight before he dropped to his knees beside his friend, tears already falling down his face. The pair found their captain already on his way out to meet them.

"Have you seen Yachiru? She left a hell butterfly saying she was going to kill some Quincy... Ikkaku... What is that?" The tall man asked, his rumbling voice going quiet.

"Yachiru... She fought five rebel sternritter alone... She killed two, but they overpowered her." Ikkaku repeated what the messenger had told him. "A messenger from the second division arrived in time to witness the fight and recover her sword, but her body is still out past the 80th district..."

"Captain, we're going with you." Yumichika said firmly. Kenpachi Zaraki hesitated for only an instant before nodding.

"She'd want you to be there. Both of you. Come on."

No one in the Gotei 13 dared try and stop them. Ichigo might have been the only one capable, and he was miles away and in another world, sitting in a classroom, without any knowledge of what was happening. The three powerful warriors were followed by the entire Eleventh Division.

The three remaining Sternritter stood around the broken body of the young woman that had killed two of their allies.

Kenpachi killed the first with his bare hands before demanding their names.

The corpse in his bloody hands was "The Bladeless". The two remaining Quincy were "The Soulless" and "The Nameless". The battle was over in minutes. There was no desire for a long and enjoyable battle. For the first time, Kenpachi fought for no other reason than to end a life. Yumichika released his true shikai, leaving The Soulless dead and Ikkaku still breathing. He would answer to his friend for that later.

The Nameless left Kenpachi mortally wounded before he met his end. When all hope seemed lost, the Eleventh Division was reminded why they followed Kenpachi Zaraki. The man was the embodiment of what it meant to be in their division. Until he died, he would never be beaten. It took one word for the Quincy to be crushed beneath the unbearable wait of the warrior's spiritual pressure.

"Bankai!"

Line -

"You believe that Shinigami come from Hollows? What evidence do you have to support this theory?" Mayuri asked curiously. Most inhabitants of the Seireitei would have immediately called for the scientist's incarceration at such a suggestion, but despite his ego and rivalry, Mayuri still respected the mind and abilities of his former captain.

"I do not have evidence yet, but I have a logical reason for the theory. Without humans, there would be no Hollows, and their would be no Shinigami. Both come from pluses that either linger too long in the mortal world, or who develop spiritual powers. From this, we can conclude that humans came first, or at the same time, as the other two." Kisuke Urahara explained. Mayuri nodded his agreement.

"For the moment, let us go on the assumption that the three came into existence at separate times, rather than all together. With that assumption, and the belief that humans were the first of the three to develop or be created, the next question is whether Hollows or Shinigami followed."

"Ah, and since Hollows follow naturally, in this hypothetical world with humans but no Shinigami, then the answer must be that Hollows followed humans into existence." Mayuri added, following his mentor's train of thought.

"Exactly. Now, when a Hollow grows strong enough to eat other Hollows, it becomes a Gillian. From there it can evolve into and Adjuchas, then finally into a Vasto Lorde. But, in this hypothetical world without Shinigami, how would any souls ever reach Soul Society? I believe that when a Vasto Lorde reaches a certain level of power, it's Riatsu will become too strong for it's Reishi to withstand, and it will collapse. When that happens, it's souls will pass on to Soul Society, and the single consciousness that ruled the body will become a Shinigami." Urahara finished excitedly.

"Hmm... It is a good theory, but you will need evidence before presenting it to anyone else. Have you considered that it could be a more complete form of Arrancar, where the mask and it's Hollow nature were completely cast aside, rather than only torn? Or perhaps if a Menos class Hollow were to eat a simple Plus rather than a suitable Hollow, the Plus's consciousness could take over the creature rather than become a piece of instinct and energy. Regardless, it merits further investigation." Mayuri considered it for a moment. "I'll assign a small group to the project. They will report to both of us on any and all findings, on the condition you share your research with them and myself."

"It's good to be working with you again, Mayuri."

"And it will be Captain Kurotsuchi if you wish to continue our collaboration. I will not have you forget that I outrank you now."

Line -

"He's beautiful. Have you decided on a name yet?" Kukkaku Shiba had set her pipe aside and was holding the small, black haired child with her good arm. He had his mother's hair, but she could already tell he would look like his father.

"We wanted to ask you for permission to name him Kaien." Ichigo said slowly. "It was the only name that everyone agreed on, but I don't want to offend you if you are against it."

"Kaien... Kaien Kurosaki. I like it." Kukkaku smirked. "My brother would have, too. You may not have met him, but you sure took after him. I'd be proud for my cousin's son to bare his name."

"Where's Ganju? We wanted to tell him as well, before we made the official announcement." Rukia asked, looking around.

Kukkaku laughed.

"The idiot is on his way to the 4th Division to suggest you name your child Kaien."

Line -

" _Seeping crest of turbidity. Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Unite! Repulse! Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired. Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!_ Senjū Kōten Kurohitsugi!" The Shinigami cried out. The air around him tore apart and congealed into blades of red light, then shot away from him, piercing an opaque black box that had appeared at his words.

"Most impressive, Lieutenant. A double incantation with a couple of ninety level kidous isn't something even all of us can do. Unless my colegues have any objections," Shunsui looked behind him to see two heads shaking, then turned back, grinning. "then it is my honor to promote you, Izuru Kira, to the position of Captain of the Third Division. Congratulations!"

"Thank you sir!" The blonde man bowed. He had passed! His bankai had not seemed to impress them at all, but he had practiced his kidou with every master he could find. Between Urahara and Tessai, he had improved rapidly.

"I'm sure you are eager to go tell your friends. We won't keep you any longer. Tell Hisagi to come in on your way out." Captain Ukitake came to stand next to his friend, followed slowly and gracefully by Byakuya Kuchiki.

"I would like to have a word with you before you go, Captain Kira." Byakuya said calmly, following the newly appointed captain out of the room. When they were alone outside in the hall, he faced the younger man. "You were in the academy with my Lieutenant, Renji Abarai, were you not?""

"That is correct..." Izuru wasn't sure where this was going.

"Do you think he is capable of serving as a captain?"

Well that was a surprise.

"Well... Yes. He has always been strong, and he's learned to be a more level headed leader in the years he's been in your division. But he would have to learn kidou to pass the exam... You want me to teach him?" Izuru asked. Byakuya gave one small shake of his head, dismissing the suggestion.

"That is a hopeless cause. There is another way for him to become a captain. If he is recommended by six captains and approved by an additional three. If you agree, you would be number five. I am hoping that Lieutenant Hisagi will complete the requirements. Despite his lack of skill with Kidou, I believe my lieutenant has more than earned the position of captain." Byakuya said. It was quite a thing to put his reputation on the line for. Had the orange haired hero changed him that much?

"I'll recommend him. I believe Hisagi will too." Izuru thought for a moment. "What about Lieutenant Kuchiki?"

"My sister has chosen to remain the lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division, and I will respect her decision. Should Abarai refuse the promotion, then the other captains will find a suitable substitute. Perhaps Aikawa would consent to return. Most of the Visored have reintegrated into the Gotei 13 once more."

Line -

 _Ran-chan._

 _I can never put into words how much it pains me to write this. I can only hope that I succeed in my mission before my guilt out weighs my conviction. The evils Aizen has committed, and plans to commit, are beyond comprehension. And I have been a part of them for many years now. I console myself with the fact that if I were not doing his bidding, someone else would. I must continue down this path. One more person fighting him head on would never make a difference in his downfall, but perhaps one person fighting from the inside will._

 _I won't ask you to forgive me. I don't deserve that. But I will ask that you do one thing for me. Live well. Be happy. Never forget, I love you with all my heart. You are my world, and my reason for fighting. Even if I die, or spend all of eternity in a cell for what I have done, I will not regret it, so long as you are safe, and have a chance to live free and happy._

 _Let your friends help you. Don't cry alone, and don't let happiness pass you by waiting for me. Smile._

 _Gin_

Rangiku folded the letter and sighed. It had been three years since he died. Three years exactly. The letter had been found on her pillow when she returned from his funeral. She had no idea where it had come from. She doubted Izuru could have kept such a secret through everything. Her own captain... Well, she would not say it was impossible, but beyond unlikely. Regardless, she had long since accepted that Gin laughed at the idea of conforming to the widely accepted laws of possible and impossible almost as much as Ichigo.

"Oh Gin... I would have been happy if you had just stayed by my side..." She kissed the letter and slid it into the top drawer of the short table by her bed.

"Matsumoto! You've got a mission in the living world! Get out here!" Her captain's irritated voice interrupted her musing. _That's right, I agreed to go with Shuhei... I forgot what day it was... I really just want to sulk, but I did promise... Okay. Up, Rangiku!_ She forced herself to her feet and took a moment to straighten her clothes and run her fingers through her hair in front of the mirror before grabbing her Zanpakuto and joining the others.

She saw her captain's expression soften when he caught the haggard look in her eyes. He never forgot that the man who had once been labeled a traitor had meant everything to her. Shuhei looked guilty.

"I realized I had forgotten... I'm sorry for asking you to go with me today. I can find a substitute, if you would prefer..." The tattooed man looked away from her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm alright. I need to stop sulking. A mission in the living world will be good for me. Keep my mind off the past and on the present." She stepped out the door and into the sun, stretching and feeling the breeze on her skin. She smiled. _This is what you wanted... My smile? Well, you better be watching, cause I won't promise to come out and let you see it if you miss it!_

Inside, the white haired captain held back the newly appointed captain of the Ninth Division.

"Hisagi... I expect my Lieutenant to be back in one piece. And, if possible, a bit happier for the experience. She is fond of ice cream in the living world. Take her shopping. I'll reimburse you for anything she buys." Toushiro said quietly. "And get her to talk about it. Don't tell me a word about it. But it will be good for her to let it out, and I'm not the right person for that."

"Yes Captain Hitsugaya." Shuhei said, looking over his shoulder at the door. "A lot of people wonder why she would stay a lieutenant with a captain so cold, but I am glad to see you care about her."

"You are a shining ray of hope for her to recover from losing Gin. If you break her heart as well, you'll find out just how much I care about her, and just how cold I can be. Now, get going." Toushiro gestured toward the door.

"I would expect nothing less." Shuhei smiled. Since his promotion, he had found his opinions of the captains changing slowly as he interacted with them as equals for the first time. And as those long held views of his superiors changed, he grew to like the youngest captain more and more. His no nonsense attitude, strong sense of right and wrong, hot temper, and level head in battle... Even his white hair. He reminded Shuhei of his hero when he was only a child. Kensei Muguruma.

Line -

"Captain Madarame, what happened? A hollow attack?" Lieutenant Kotetsu rushed to the injured man's side, helping him walk to a bed. He shook his head.

"Fell asleep during training..." His head leaned against her shoulder.

"Fell asleep? Have you not been sleeping well?" Isane leaned the bleeding man back onto the mattress and began a healing kido to seal the wound. Again, he shook his head.

"Haven't slept well since I... Since Captain Zaraki died... Haven't slept at all in... days? I think it's been days. Hope it's not been weeks... That would be kinda bad..." His eyes fluttered closed, but almost as soon as his breathing began to even out, he bolted upright, face twisted in horror.

"I see... Nightmares..." Isane gave him a sympathetic smile. "I used to have nightmares all the time... You have a lot more reason for it than me, but it kept me from sleeping as well. I actually developed my own kido for it. I was very proud of it. Would you allow me to use it on you?"

"It will let me sleep without nightmares?" Ikkaku asked hesitantly.

"Yes. Dreamless sleep." She smiled and put a hand to his forehead. He had a slight fever, but that was likely a symptom of his insomnia. His body was under too much stress. "Please, let me do this for you."

"Alright." Ikkaku let himself relax onto the bed as she began her chant. He knew very little about the finer workings of Kidou, but he knew that the careful weaving of a binding kidou and a healing kidou was an impressive act, made all the more so by the fact she had invented it herself. "Why haven't they made you captain yet?"

"No bankai... I am not strong enough to be a captain. I wouldn't last a day in the Eleventh." She glared at the ground. She missed her captain, but she also felt a little... betrayed. She had been the greatest warrior in the Gotei 13 and never taught her lieutenant to fight? Never left her a way to defend herself from the truly dangerous enemies they faced? She could barely handle Gillians, and even then she usually needed help if her first Kidou didn't take it down.

"The Eleventh wouldn't stay strong without the Fourth here to patch us up..." The kidou was working, and Ikkaku's eyes fell shut. He did not sit up in a panic this time. "You're as strong as the people you keep alive..."

She blinked, then giggled as she pulled a blanket over him. She watched him sleep for a few moments, then whispered to herself. "I'm keeping you alive, so I guess I'm not so weak..." She hesitated, then kissed his cheek. "Thank you." She blushed and was on her way out of the room when she bumped into a smirking Yumichika.

Her eyes went wide and she stumbled back, but he caught her by the shoulders and steadied her.

"Woah, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you or anything, I just wanted to check on him. He is right you know. The Eleventh Division couldn't be strong if we didn't have the Fourth Division. You are as responsible for the protection of Soul Society as we are. More, since you heal the other divisions as well. I think it is quite a beautiful thing. I'm grateful you were here to protect him from his nightmares. You will have to teach me that kidou, in case he gets stubborn and needs to be forced."

"Oh... I will. You know kidou? I thought the Eleventh was against it..." Isane had not spoken to the man much, but she was beginning to think he was not the typical Eleventh Division member.

"That rule, luckily, has been discarded. I would prefer to keep this secret out of the wider circle of knowledge, but it will be easier for us both to take care of this idiot with fewer secrets between us. I have a kidou type zanpakuto. I'm actually better with Kidou than half the lieutenants. Although, the past decades without even releasing my shikai, I am better with a sword as well."

"Then maybe between the two of us, we can keep him alive." She smiled. Yumichika laughed, then turned away, waving cheerfully over his shoulder.

"Maybe we can. For now, I leave him in your capable hands." He shook his head. He had heard with his own ears. Ikkaku was finally picking up some wisdom. And if he wasn't mistaken, he may finally have seen value in a person, other than their fighting ability. He grinned. Oh how he would enjoy watching the man realize that combat skills weren't all that mattered to him after all.

Line -

"Ah... That feels nice..." Shunsui Kyuraku sighed contentedly as he let the cool water rush past his bare feet. Beside him, Captain Ukitake was stretched out on his own discarded white Haori and black Shihakusho, hair tied back loosely as he enjoyed the warm sunlight.

"It has been too long since we visited this place, Shunsui." The white haired captain kicked his own feet in the water. Down the bank a ways, barely in sight, were his two third seat officers, arguing as usual. Beyond them, reading a book in the shade of a tree, was his best friend's lieutenant. "So... How are things going with Nanao?"

"Hard to say... She's not like any other woman I have ever met, Juushiro. She certainly keeps me on my toes. I am surprised she condoned this little outing, actually. I thought for sure she would consider it a waste of time and veto it, but she decided to come along instead. She never ceases to surprise me..."

"Completely love struck, huh? Haven't seen you like this since our academy days." Juushiro laughed. A loud splash signaled to him that one of his officers had been thrown bodily into the stream. Judging by the voice that began swearing in an impressively creative fashion, he would have to guess it was Kiyone.

"Yeah... Well look who's talking! Taking a day off? You haven't been this carefree since the academy either! Whatever Isshin's done worked, didn't it? You're cured?" Shunsui turned to look at the other man hopefully. He received a grin and a nod.

"Turns out it is a relatively common affliction in the living world. Kidou was only fixing the symptoms and making the base problem worse. Apparently this is one of the areas the humans out did us in the last thousand years. They made medicine that kills the illness without killing the host. I'm really cured... I feel like a teenager again, Shunsui!" Juushiro sat up with a mischievous smile. "It's been a while since I could keep up with your plots and schemes... What do you say we give our officers a little surprise?"

"I say of course, my friend! I have missed getting in trouble with you! Too bad Yama-jii isn't here to yell at us again... Did you have something specific in mind?"

"I did." Juushiro leaned in and explained his plan to his friend. Minutes later, the two flash stepped away, leaving their officers alone on the shore, unaware of their impending fate.

Line -

"Good, now, try to flow through the motions, rather than treating them like a series of steps. Like dancing. The time it takes you to switch from attack to defense and back gives your opponent an opportunity to strike." Toushiro side stepped the wooden blade and used his own to slap the hilt from the woman's hand as she began to pull back for a second attack.

"I understand, but it is easier said than done..." Karin Kurosaki sighed, attempting the move again, this time striking immediately from the end of the first attack, rather than returning to her guarded stance. She grinned when she felt the blow land.

"Excellent. You're learning quickly. Now, try to do it from defense to attack. You opponents will make the same mistake. You have to be able to use the instant of hesitation and delay between their attack and their next move." He lunged and intentionally left a gap for her to strike at. She did not waste the window of opportunity.

"I know you are letting me win..." She pointed out.

"I am a captain, and one of the most skilled at that. What good would it do you to attack me if you could not touch me? I am not pitying you. I am teaching you so that someday you can match me without me holding back. Do you wish to continue, or shall I send you back to training with the regular class?" Toushiro smirked at her annoyed huff. "It is time for a break, anyway."

After the woman had left through the doors to the garden, he went to find his lieutenant.

"What's going on, Captain?" Rangiku looked up from her paperwork, eager for a distraction from he dull duties.

"How long did it take Ichigo to master the sword?"

"I think... Didn't Urahara teach him in seven days?" She thought back to when he had first invaded Soul Society. "And he took on Kenpachi at that level, so I'd call it mastery."

"Agreed... And in two more days he achieved Bankai and took on Captain Kuchiki..."

"Yeah, everyone knows about that... Scary, isn't it? Glad he's on our side."

"Indeed... What is scarier is that his sister is picking up the same skills at a very comparable rate... I would predict that in under a month, I will not be able to beat her with swordsmanship alone."

"No way... How did our old captain have a bunch of mutant super shinigami?!" Rangiku stared at her captain. He could only shake his head.

"Urahara warned me about this, but I didn't expect it to be as dramatic as he had implied. Apparently since they are all still technically alive and in yearly contact with their living bodies, they don't have the same limits as ordinary Shinigami. They have the spiritual power of Shinigami, and the infinite potential of humans... A dangerous combination."

"So what will you do?"

"Teach her until she surpasses me, of course. Then leave it to her brother and the few who would still have anything to teach her. But hopefully that is still a while off yet. She hasn't begun learning any advanced kidou yet. And she will not be taking any shortcuts on Bankai."

"Captain... She's his sister... Is she part hollow as well?"

"Yes. And when she hollowfies, I have promised to turn over her training to the Visored and her brother until she can control it."

Line -

"It is a bit unorthodox, but I can see why you would prefer something like this... Sure. I'll sign off on it. Yuzu Kurosaki, you are hereby excused from all further combat training, and granted permission to join the fourth division at whatever level the captain feels appropriate. You certainly have the kidou skills for it. You'll do fine." Shunsui Kyoraku smiled warmly at the woman standing before him. She was a strikingly beautiful woman, and everyone who had known Masaki said her daughter was her twin in feature and personality.

"Thank you very much. I won't disappoint you." She bowed and smiled brightly. As she left to report to her father, and now captain, Shunsui turned to Nanao Ise. "You don't approve?"

"I... Am uneasy about the decision, yes. She is the sister of the hero of Soul Society, and the rising star of the Tenth Division, as well as the daughter of a captain, and she is being excused from combat training? She would be a valuable asset. And beyond that, she is being assigned to her father's division. He is known to be fanatical about his children, you don't worry that he may give her a higher rank than she is capable of holding?"

"She worked with her father for years in the living world, long after her brother and sister came to Soul Society. They have learned to keep their professional relationship and their personal relationship separated. Isshin would never endanger his daughter or his patients by giving her a higher rank than she could handle. As for her lack of combat training, I think that between her siblings and her father, their family has contributed enough offensive power to the Gotei 13. She fears her inner Hollow, and I can not blame her for that. You have heard Lisa's account of what happened in Hueco Mundo. Ichigo's hollow tore through the Quincy army like a hurricane through tissue paper. Even Byakuya reported fighting it briefly during the first invasion, and he said himself that he could never have beaten it, even then. I will respect her decision on this point. Should her father's judgment prove to be unreliable, then I will step in, but until then, I would like to trust them." The captain commander said to his lieutenant.

"You gave this more thought than I anticipated. Very well. I approve of your decision. That was the last order of business for the day. I finished the paperwork hours ago... Do you want to have dinner together?"

Nanao would treasure the image of her captain turning as pink as his kimono for decades.

Line -

"Kaien! Help! It hurts!" Kirio bit back a shriek of pain as her vision began to blur. Then the pain faded and a mass of white began to pour from her mouth and spread across her face. "Get my dad! Hurry!"

"Kirio, hold on! I won't leave you!" The black haired boy lifted his friend carefully and began helping her toward the Seireitei. He mentally cursed. It had to happen when they were out in the Rukongai... If she overpowered him, she would be able to eat thousand of souls before she could be stopped... Her hollow would only grow stronger as her true self fell further below the surface... No. He wouldn't let that happen.

"Kaien... I don't want to hurt you... I'm slowing you down... You can't flash step while carrying me..." She was tearing chunks of mask from her face as quickly as they solidified, but it wasn't stopping.

"I can! I've been practicing!" He concentrated and they rushed forward in stumbling leaps. Finally, they came within sight of the Fifth Division. "Captain Hirako! Help!" His words hadn't stopped ringing in the air when he felt the weight lift from his side. The girl was cradled easily in the arms of the blonde haired captain.

"Thanks for getting her home, Kaien. You should get to class. I'll take care of her, and you can talk to her later. She'll be mad if you don't get her homework." Shinji gave his typical lazy smile and carried his panting daughter into the division barracks, his wife coming to walk by his side without a word. His smile didn't waver, but her quietness betrayed their worry.

Kaien could only stand in the street, lost and scared, until he felt his mother's familiar riatsu and a warm hand on each shoulder.

"Come on, Kaien. She'll be alright. She's got a hard day ahead of her though, and it's not something you can help her through, as much as you may want to. If you're there, she'll be too afraid of hurting you to do what she needs to do." Rukia took her son's hand.

"Shinji's right about you needing to be in school. You were planning on skipping out when it happened, weren't you?" Ichigo crouched beside the boy that was already beginning to resemble him.

"Maybe..." Kaien wouldn't look at him. "You're sure she'll be okay? Has anyone below captain or lieutenant level ever survived hollowfication?"

"Yes. My sister did. I can't tell you all the details about it until it is your turn to go through it, but I promise, she'll be okay." Ichigo smiled and hugged the boy. "Now, class."

Line -

"I had hoped to never see that side of you again..." Uryu said with a shudder. Ichigo winced.

"I know. But it was necessary. Have they all pulled back?"

"All but five... But they were five crafted specially to kill the Zero Division. The Nameless, The Bladeless, The Soulless, The Lifeless, and The Honorless. They were brainwashed more extensively than any of the others... It is impossible to tell what they will do with their creator gone and their purpose extinguished."

"We won't hunt them down... If they don't cause trouble, they can live in peace. But if they choose to attack, I will not be able to spare them... You know that, Uryu."

"Yes, I know." Uryu sighed. "I'm sorry I was not more help. His grip on me was tighter than I anticipated when I joined him. I'm glad you were able to handle him on your own."

"I didn't. Zangetsu did. I don't think any number of Shinigami could have beaten him. It took a hollow. That's why he attacked Hueco Mundo first." Ichigo said.

"I have a question about that... How can you live, being part Quincy and part Hollow at the same time?"

"Urahara has a theory about that..."

Line -

"Ichigo! I couldn't feel your riatsu! What's happened?" Rukia came to a stop at his side as he stepped out of the Eighth Division. Rather than answer, he dropped to one knee and held a box out to her.

"Marry me. I have your brother's blessing. I graduated from college. I am a captain. I have accepted all of myself. I love you, Rukia." He looked up at her. She smacked him and snatched the ring.

"Of course I'll marry you, now answer my question!"

"Ouch! Midget! I merged with my inner hollow again. My power is even higher than it was when I faced Aizen. No one can feel my riatsu anymore. At least not in any way they would comprehend as riatsu. I'm fine." Ichigo scowled. So much for a romantic and picturesque proposal.

"Was that so hard to say?" She punched him, but followed it with a kiss. "My brother gave you his blessing?"

"Yeah. So did Zangetsu. He made me promise to protect our queen, so from now on, I am under orders. I will never let harm come to you again." Ichigo said. Rukia looked at him in surprise.

"Your hollow wants to protect me?"

Line -

It was a wonderful day. Momo Hinamori stepped out of the Fifth Division's front doors and onto the streets of the Seireitei, smiling brightly. Her smile evaporated when she witnessed a certain white haired captain brush a brief kiss across the lips of a certain black haired third seat of the very same division.

She began walk toward the young woman as her childhood friend disappeared into the morning's captain's meeting. A hand caught her shoulder. She turned to find another friend shaking his head.

"Izuru, let me go!" She glared at him, but knew he was right. She had passed up whatever chance she may have had with the prodigy when she had undergone her mental collapse from Aizen's betrayal. He needed someone stronger than that. It had been easy to deny that he had loved the pink haired demon of the Eleventh when she never saw it with her own eyes. She had been busily setting her mind straight for the past few years, ignoring the rest of reality unless it was directly in her way. Now it was time to face the world as it was, not as she had needed it to be. "He's not mine anymore, is he?"

"No... He's not." Izuru said gently. "But I would bet he is still your friend if you give him a chance. I am."

"Thanks, Izuru..." She turned and noticed she now stood only a few inches shorter than he did. "Did you shrink or did I grow?"

"You've gone and gotten taller, Momo. You never noticed?"

"I... I didn't notice a lot of things... Let's go catch up. Do you still like Agar?" She smiled up at him.

"I do." He returned her smile and extended his arm to her, which she accepted.

Maybe she could cope with this new world she was thrown into after all.

Line -


	28. Chapter 28

"Uncle Toshiro! Wake up!" The shout was followed by a small weight landing on his side and then began bouncing up and down. "Aunt Karin! It's morning!"

"Uhg." The white haired captain acknowledged. Technically, it _was_ morning. "Why are you up so early in the morning, Kaien? And stop bouncing on me!"

"You're visiting the living world today! Mom and Dad said I could go with you!" The small boy, Kaien, said excitedly. "I want to see where Dad grew up!"

"You know we are going to be there on a mission, not sight seeing." Toshiro Hitsugaya yawned and pushed himself into a sitting position, taking an instant to smile at the mess of long black hair next to him. "I can spare my Third Seat for a day, though. As long as you promise to return her."

"Yes!" Kaien shouted. The black haired woman rolled over and smiled up at her captain and her nephew.

"I'm going to have to have a word with my brother about volunteering us as babysitters." Karin Hitsugaya pulled her hair back and slipped it into an elastic band in one fluid motion, then slid from the bed and on to her feet. "But I don't mind showing you our old clinic, and taking you out for ice cream, if it's okay with Uncle Toshiro."

Kaien's smiled was enough to drive away any sour feelings either shinigami had about being woken up so early and so suddenly. As the child dashed out of the room, likely back to the Eighth Division to pack, the Captain and Third Seat of the Tenth went about their morning routine, finally meeting the Lieutenant in the main office.

"Matsumoto, should I assume that you received a similar wake up call, to be up at this time of day?"


	29. Chapter 29

"Good morning, everyone! My name is Kisuke Urahara! Some of you may have heard my name before, but for those of you who haven't, I'll start with a brief introduction. I began as a lesser noble of the Shihoin Clan, and as such, I joined the Second Division early on. I was later promoted to Captain of the Twelfth Division, and became the founder and first head of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. I was framed by Aizen and exiled to the living world during the Visored incident. I became a shop keeper in the living world and kept an eye on things, and personally trained Ichigo Kurosaki as a Shinigami. I helped in the final defeat of Aizen. I collaborated with Captain Mayuri during the Quincy invasion. After the war, I helped Uryu Isshida and his father establish the Delta Division to prevent further wars between our differing cultures, and I now serve as an ambassador on behalf of the Shinigami. Now, I've been asked to fill in as your professor for a few weeks while Kukaku Shiba is dealing with some family matters."

The blonde man stood at the front of the classroom, smiling casually at the students seated before him. Although he had taught many individuals, and even led his own division for a time, this was a new experience for him.

"The thing is, I was supposed to spend the last few days creating a lesson plan, but I got caught up in an experiment I was very anxious to see completed, so I am going to have to sort of make this up as I go along. I really don't have any sort of requirements for what I cover, so if any of you have questions, I probably have some sort of answer. It would be an easy way for me to get an idea of what I should talk about for the rest of my time as your teacher. So... What do you want to know?"

Urahara looked around the class room. The students seemed slightly lost by his eccentric opening. Hesitantly, one student raised her hand.

"Miss Izumi, ask away!" The substitute professor grinned as he gestured to the raised hand. He had made it a point to memorize the names and faces of all of his students in the minutes before class.

"I've heard a lot of gossip and rumors that Kurosaki and Kuchiki are expecting a child... Since he is Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy, and she is only Shinigami, what would their child be? I don't think such a thing has ever happened before, has it?" The girl asked. Several of the students siting near her nodded, also curious about the upcoming birth of their hero's child.

"Ah, that is a really excellent question to get us started! Ichigo Kurosaki is, after all, one of the most well known and least understood men to ever live and die. So, over the next weeks, I will endeavor to explain some of the intricacies of his existence, along with that of his future child. Spiritual Genetics are an advanced topic not normally covered in the academy, but I think you can all handle it!" Urahara turned to the white board at the head of the room and wrote two words with a line dividing them. 'Life' and 'Death'.

"A good place to start, and a fundamental question that scientists and philosophers have struggled to answer for thousands of years... What does it mean to be alive? Anyone have suggestions? What does it mean to be alive? Can you define it? What about death? Go ahead, say whatever you think, and I'll do my best to write down everything I hear!" Urahara listened as the first few timid suggestions quickly turned into a storm of ideas ranging from mundane to wild and crazy.

"Breathing!"

"Heart beat!"

"Movement!"

"Alright, alright, that's enough for now! These are all wonderful ideas! It seems that you have hit on almost every single theory that has been suggested over the years. So, allow me to present my theory." Urahara turned to the board and drew a few pictures. A rock, a wooden plank, and a cat. He turned back to the class. "Now, which of these is alive?"

"The cat!" The class chorused back to him. He nodded.

"Yes, the cat!" He drew a ghost next to the cat, and a lit light bulb next to that. "There are five objects up here now. Only one is alive. But what really sets the cat apart from the ghost and the others? The light bulb takes in and converts energy to another form. It also radiates heat. The ghost has most of the typical life sustaining functions. The rock can grow with sedimentation or split into new rocks. Perhaps it will become more apparent when I tie it to Aizen's plot."

At the mention of the infamous former captain, the class's full attention focused and tensed. Not enough time had passed yet to ease the pain of what he had done and what he had tried to do.

"Aizen said once that Shinigami have a limit. Every last one of us. There is a maximum to what we are capable of. And no matter what we do, no matter how much training we undergo, we can never exceed that limit. He wanted to use the Break-Down Sphere to remove that limit. To become something beyond Shinigami or Hollow. However, his plan was fundamentally flawed. Because even a being that has transcended both Shinigami and Hollow is still dead. It will still have a limit."

He drew a hammer on the board.

"When the rock is broken, it is broken. It has a limit. It can only take so much abuse before it breaks. The plank, also, will break under a certain amount of weight. The ghost, like a Shinigami, has a limit. A finite potential. The light bulb, once shattered, makes no more light. But the cat... If you strike it with the hammer, you break it. But it will heal. So will the ghost, to a point, but the difference is, once broken, the cat will grow back stronger. It will advance and surpass itself. That is life. Life is limitless. Life is the potential to have infinite potential. Life is the ability, when faced with adversity, to raise ever higher. And that, more than any natural power from genetics or luck or fate, is why Ichigo Kurosaki became so powerful. Because his powers emerged while he was still alive, he was a Shinigami with no limit."

"Does that mean he is as strong as he will ever be now?" One of the students asked. "Since he has left his body permanently?"

"That is hard to say. It could be, that now he is no longer part of the living, he is limited, but it is also possible that his spirit is so powerfully full of life that he will never reach a limit.


	30. Chapter 30

"Get back here!" Renji shouted, ungracefully trying to untangle himself from his bed sheets, water still pouring down from his soaking hair. "You're as bad as your father!" The red head sighed and gave up his chase. He'd catch the kid later, when he had regained a little dignity.

Kaien Kurosaki laughed happily as he came to rest on the roof of the neighboring division. Beside him, his lifelong friend Kirio Hirako sat catching her breath.

"You're determined to get us locked up in the Maggot's Nest, aren't you?" Kirio asked when her breathing was back to normal. She tried to sound reprimanding, but could not help but smirk back at him.

"Renji will try to send us to the 4th, not the 2nd, you know that." Kaien lounged back onto the roof and relaxed. "We've gotta be back at the Academy in a few hours... Anything else you want to do today?"

"We could visit Hueco Mundo. We haven't seen Halibel since last summer." Kirio suggested. "Your father would probably open a Garganta for us, if she's not busy.


	31. Chapter 31

"Captain, you have a message from the Eighth Division. Capain Kurosaki has requested you meet him in his office at your earliest opportunity." Rangiku Matsumoto read off the paper that had been passed to her at the Lieutenant's Meeting. "What's that about?"

"It is unlikely to be anything of your concern, but I will be sure to inform you if I am mistaken." Toushiro Hitsugaya did a masterful job of keeping the nervousness out of his voice. He was rather proud of himself. Now, as long as he can keep his cool that well in front of Ichigo, he may yet live to see another day.

As he stepped out of his room, his captain's haori neatly in place, he thought very seriously about making a run for it. No, that is not how a captain should act! He sighed in resignation and looked at his desk. Of course, the pile of paperwork he was wishing for was absent. His third seat had surprised the division by tearing through paperwork even faster than their captain and would frequently sit down and fill out several hundred pages in an hour of boredom if training didn't catch her interest at the time. For the first time, he took a moment to wish she were as much of a slacker as his Lieutenant. At least then he would have an excuse to avoid this meeting.

"Captain, you're freezing the windows, is everything okay?" Matsumoto's voice snapped him out of his inner panic. He glanced at the frost covered windows and quickly pulled in his riatsu before shaking his head and walking past her. "Oooooh! This is about his sister, isn't it? Did something happen for him to get the wrong idea? Oh! Or better yet, does he have the _right_ idea?" Her sly grin caused him no end of frustration.

"I'm sure you have some paperwork left to do somewhere, Matsumoto." He did not bother denying her speculation. It would only have encouraged her. Besides, the odds were that she was right.

As he was leaving the division in the direction of the Eighth, he felt a familiar and welcome presence.

"Kurosaki, what a coincidence. I'm just on my way to see your brother. I'm glad I get this opportunity to say a last good bye." He felt the punch coming, but let it connect with his shoulder anyway. It was not meant to be painful.

"He isn't going to kill you, and I have told you not to call me that when it's just the two of us." Her voice was a mixture of irritation and amusement. "You're really nervous about this, huh, Shiro?"

"Yes." Toushiro nodded reluctantly. He was a captain, and a powerful one at that, but not only could he not hold a candle to the captain of the Eighth, he could also not find it in himself to disrespect his wishes if the orange headed hero demanded he put an end to any romantic pursuits with his sister. "Karin, promise you won't let Matsumoto give my eulogy... Captain Ukitake would be acceptable."

"Idiot. Get going. Keeping him waiting won't make him any happier. I'll see you later. I'm pretty sure Rangiku has already fallen asleep at her desk." Karin leaned up and brushed her lips against his for an instant, then flash stepped back into the division. Now, with no further distractions from his errand, Captain Hitsugaya set off toward the Eighth Division.

When he arrived, he quickly took shelter behind a low wall as he spotted the elder Captain Kurosaki leaving his son's division. Toushiro let out a sigh of relief. If he had not been slowed down this morning, he would have been faced with not one, but two protective Kurosaki men. Looking around to ensure no one had witnessed his undignified action, he waited a few moments until he felt the familiar riatsu of his former captain draw away before turning around the wall and entering the division itself.

"Ah, you're here earlier than the captain expected. He told me it would be closer to noon. It's alright though, his father just left, so he's not busy. Come in, Captain Hitsugaya." Lieutenant Lisa Yadoumaru invited him in with a warm smile. Either she had no idea what the purpose of the meeting was, or she was a sadistic woman. She _was_ part hollow, so either was possible.

He followed her along the familiar halls to the office of the hero of Soul Society, his dread growing with every step. It wasn't too late to make a run for it. He could make an excuse. Ichigo didn't know he was here yet...

"Captain Kurosaki, Captain Hitsugaya is here as you requested." The woman called through the door. Well, there goes the point of no return.

"Come in, and I keep telling you, just call me Ichigo. It gets really confusing with two Captain Kurosaki's. I can take it from here. Toushiro, come in and close the door." The orange haired shinigami looked only slightly older than he had all those decades ago, but he had matured some. Not as much as some would have liked, but more than many ever thought he would.

"Captain Kurosaki..." A small burst of riatsu and a glare that could make Vasto Lorde run made him immediately correct himself. "Ichigo, may I ask why it is that you have summoned me here today?" Toushiro shifted his weight nervously. He had faced down Arrancar and Sternritter, but he had never felt this uneasy before.

"Take a seat, Toushiro." Ichigo set aside the paper he had been working on and then fixed his intense gaze directly on his fellow captain silently for e few moments until Toushiro was ready to burst with his desire to get the threats out in the open. "Jeez, relax. Don't forget, I know what it's like seeing someone as the older brother for the first time. And trust me, Byakuya is a lot scarier than I am."

"I can't imagine that..." Toushiro swallowed. He now had confirmation that the meeting was about exactly what he feared.

"First, you know what I am. I'm not only Shinigami, but Hollow and Quincy as well. My sisters share that same blood. Yuzu deliberately avoided training so that she would not undergo Hollowfication before she was ready. Karin, however, could go through that at any time. When that happens, as her captain if nothing else, you must promise me that you will alert me, Urahara, or one of the other Visored immediately." Ichigo began. That was not what Toushiro had expected, but he immediately nodded.

"I had not thought of that before, but I understand, and I promise. I won't allow any harm to come to her through my action or negligence."

"Good. Second, you were the third seat under my father when he was captain of the Tenth. You know what he is like. He has always considered you his son, just like he considered Rukia his daughter from the moment he met her. He prefers a different approach to how he protects his children. If you hurt Karin, you know without a shadow of a doubt that I will tear you apart and let my inner hollow devour your soul. My father will never make that threat to you. He will embrace you as his son from the first instant he knows, but if he gets even a whisper that you have hurt her, you'll be dead before I can make it to the Tenth to compete with him. Are we very clear on this point?" Ichigo's gaze had not wavered once.

"Y-yes. Very clear." Toushiro knew he was even more pale than usual. He had not comprehended just what the wrath of these men would entail. He had expected the stereotypical over protective father act from Isshin as well, but in retrospect, Ichigo's description sounded more likely. Then there was Ichigo's threat. He had never considered that his inner hollow would come into play. He knew that Karin had spoken about it almost fondly. It was a part of Ichigo, so it made since that it would be as protective of her as Ichigo himself.

"Good. Third, and I assure you this is not my concern, but Byakuya will have my head if I do not mention it, she is technically a noble of the Shiba clan. That means there will be some formalities that must be observed, and I can assure you from experience, they are a royal pain in the ass. If Byakuya approaches you about such formalities, you will comply to him. If you don't, I have to deal with him, and that will not make me happy." Once again, Toushiro was caught off guard. He had not once considered the fact that he was dating a noble, nor what that might entail should it become more serious.

"Alright, this is the last thing. My father already had this talk with Rukia and I, and although it is too early for it to be of great concern to you, as her captain you should be aware of this as well. Urahara's research suggests that our three fold spiritual nature is almost guaranteed to be passed on to any children we have. That means not only is Karin the same kind of entity as me, but any potential children she may have with you or anyone else will be as well. That isn't meant to scare you away, merely insure you are fully informed about what you are getting yourself in to. She doesn't know this yet, and my father wants to tell her himself, so please refrain from doing so until he does."

"I will... You aren't going to forbid me from seeing her?" Toushiro stared at the taller captain.

"Of course not. She's my sister. I love her, and you make her happy. I will tell you again, if you ever hurt her, cheat on her, or touch her against her will, you can not comprehend the horrors that will rain down upon you. Beyond that, she is capable of making these decisions for herself. I trust her, and I trust you as well. You are basically my brother. Now, I'm supposed to meet Byakuya and Rukia for lunch, and I'm sure your division is in need of their captain by now." Ichigo stood up and smirked at the white haired captain. "Oh, and the old man wants a big family dinner. I don't need to tell you what a fiasco that's going to be. Brace yourself, the message will come in the next few weeks. He wants Rangiku there too, since she is one of his 'daughters' as well."

"I see. I'll be sure to pass along that warning. And... Thank you. I don't think I could imagine a better older brother, even if you are technically younger than me." Toushiro bid farewell to the orange haired captain and then set off for his own division once again. He had a lot to think about, but he was no longer afraid of speaking to the man. It had been a far more rational and mature confrontation than he had expected.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" A voice called out to him from the direction of the eleventh division. It sounded far to kind to be a member, and upon turning in the direction of the voice, he was unsurprised to find two members of the Fourth walking away from the training grounds. It was likely that someone had ended up needing immediate help and could not be moved to the Fourth. The tall woman looked mildly uncomfortable being in public, which was her usual state of being. The other was waving to him.

"Sixth Seat Kurosaki, Lieutenant Kotetsu, good morning." Toushiro came to a stop before the two women. It was clearly Yuzu who had addressed him.

"Captain, my brother told me he was meeting with you today, and I had hoped I would get there before hand. I just wanted to let you know that whatever fate my brother has promised you if you hurt my twin, I will be healing you between rounds to make sure it lasts as long as possible. Have a good day!" The cheerful woman and her tall companion left him standing there, mouth hanging open. Of all the Kurosaki's he had expected such threats of pain and suffering from, she was the last. He didn't even know she was capable of threatening. He did now.

He made it back to his division without further incident, and was pleased to find it still standing. Inside, Rangiku was asleep at her desk, but with over half her paperwork completed. Karin must have gotten tired of driving her and went to spend her time elsewhere. He closed his eyes and reached out his senses to through the division, pinpointing her riatsu in the gardens. He was at her side in a flash step.

"So, how did it go, Shiro?" Karin opened her eyes from her meditative position and cast a calm smile up at him. He sat beside her in an identical pose and relaxed at the feeling of her warm riatsu washing over him. It was the only warmth that didn't bother him.

"It went surprisingly well. I am no longer uneasy about seeing your brother or father, but your sister made it very clear I am not to discount her contribution to my demise should I cause any harm to befall you. Oh, your father wants a big family dinner. Including Matusmoto, since he still considers her a daughter from his time as captain of the Tenth." He closed his eyes and she followed his example. "Have you managed materialization yet?"

"Not yet. She doesn't think my body can handle it yet. At least Shirosaki talked my inner hollow into behaving herself." Karin scowled slightly. Toushiro laughed quietly.

"That is exactly the sort of name Ichigo would choose for his inner hollow. Why does he not just call him by his name, Zangetsu?"

"He still calls the manifestation of his Quincy powers Zangetsu out of habit, and he says it is too confusing to call them both the same thing. Shirosaki actually suggested the name. I think he is just happy to be acknowledged as a part of my brother, not just a parasite." Karin leaned gently against her captain's shoulder.

"Do you call each manifestation by a different name as well?" Toushiro asked. He wished he could join her in her inner world.

"No, my manifestations all merged into one, so it's no problem to call them all by the same name. Although it is weird that my Shinigami and Hollow manifestation is female but my Quincy manifestation is still male. I guess since all Quincy powers came from Yhwach, all the manifestations are the same in appearance."

"I see. Hyourinmaru told me the same thing when I was working on my Bankai. Turns out he was right. The first time I achieved final release, I ended up in the Fourth Division for three days with frostbite on most of my skin. They said I was lucky to have survived. Of course, I immediately went back out and tried again. By the third week, they were keeping a room reserved for me." The white haired captain smiled at the memory as he heard his dragon's amused growl in his head.

"Why were you so determined to achieve Bankai immediately if your body wasn't ready?" Karin asked.

"Because... Your father had just gone missing. I knew if he didn't return soon, a new captain would be assigned. He had given his formal recommendation for me, but if I couldn't pass the exam, there was no way they would allow me to take his place, and I didn't want someone new to come in and change the division. If they had, I would have probably transferred to the Thirteenth of the Sixth or something. It would have made me sick to see some stranger come in and change what Captain Shiba had made."

"You really missed him when he left, huh?"

"Yes, very much so. But he's back, and he's gone and made my family even bigger, so I see no reason to cry over the past now." Toushiro opened his eyes and smiled. The gardens were trimmed in frost and icicles and his dragon had manifested in a smaller form, curled up before him with his magnificent blue eyes fixed on his Shinigami. "Hyourinmaru, you know her through my eyes, but it's about time you were officially introduced to Karin Kurosaki."

"It is an honor, Karin Kurosaki." The dragon bowed its head to the stunned woman.

"He's so beautiful... You really do have the most amazing Zanpakuto I have ever seen. Only fitting for the incarnation of a heavenly guardian, I guess. Hyourinmaru, the honor is mine." Karin smiles as the dragon slowly dissolves into the air, leaving the pair alone again. "Now I see why all the plants are fake."

"Yes, I used to kill them off every time I meditated. Captain Shiba let Matsumoto go to the human world and buy fake plants to plant here instead. I suggested a rock garden, but they both insisted it is not a garden without greenery." Toushiro stood up and offered a hand to his third seat.

"I guess I'll just keep trying. We should probably go and make sure Rangiku finishes her paperwork." Karin takes his hand and stand in front of him. She looks around briefly to ensure they are alone, then wraps her arms around him and kisses him. "We should organize a soccer match for the division. We could charge admission and make some extra money for the division too."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Karin."

Line -

"How many people are going to be there?" Rangiku asked as she followed her captain and third seat toward the Eighth Division where it had been decided the dinner would be held.

"Everyone Captain Shiba has ever considered family, most likely. So, a lot." Toushiro sighed. Ichigo had warned him this was going to be a fiasco. Why did he always feel a sense of dread when he approached the Eighth Division now? First it was the meeting about his future with Karin, now it was a big family dinner. That family never did anything half way.

"Well, there will be Ichigo, Rukia, Byakuya, the three of us, Kukaku and Ganju, dad, Yuzu, probably half the fourth division knowing dad and his habit of adopting people. I'm sure he invited Hinamori as well. Urahara will probably be there too. I think that might be it..." Karin had been counting off. "At least a dozen."

"I m so excited! I remember when we would do things like this within the Tenth back when he was our captain. It was always a ton of fun. Well, except that one time we invited the Eleventh. Then half of the division ended up in the Fourth." Rangiku recalled happily. Toushiro was suddenly even less eager to go.

"Did you say Hinamori is going to be there?" He almost turned around then.

"Yes, and you're going anyway!" Karin put a hand on his back, as if anticipating his imminent retreat.

"Oh don't worry captain, I don't think she's mad at you. Maybe a little jealous, but as long as you don't go feeling up Karin, I think she'll be as friendly as ever." Rangiku placed a comforting hand on her captain's shoulder.

"Alright... Let's do this, then." With one last moment of hesitation, Toushiro led his subordinates into the Eighth Division.

Inside, they found a few large tables set up in a large training room. There were fourteen seats set up around one table while the rest of the tables were loaded down with food. Ichigo and the Kuchiki siblings were already present, along with the Shiba siblings. Only minutes after they arrived, Hinamori entered the area, waving cheerfully at her childhood friend before taking a seat near Yuzu and Isane who had returned with a final load of food for the table.

Urahara came in without anyone noticing and struck up a conversation with the orange haired hero. Now, they were only waiting on the man responsible for the whole affair.

"Ah, I love having my family all in one place! Next time, we're going to have to invite the rest of our divisions as well!" Isshin arrived then in a flash step, grinning widely and practically glowing with joy and excitement. "Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu, please come outside for a minute!" The older captain led his three children out to the front of the division.

"Dad, what do you need us for? Is there something..." Ichigo stopped speaking and stared. His sisters were equally shocked, unable to comprehend what was standing before them.

"After I killed Grand Fisher, she was able to make her way to Soul Society. I've been taking time off every day to search the Rukongai since I returned. I didn't want to tell you until I found her, just in case she had already died and been reincarnated, but I was in time." Isshin extended a hand to the woman and then stepped toward his children. "This is the first time we've all been together for a century, come here!" Without further delay, Isshin dragged the four most dear people to him in the world into a hug.

"Mom? Is it really you?" Ichigo was the first to recover his ability to speak, holding the brown haired woman at arms length.

"Yes, Ichigo. It's really me. You've grown up..." She smiled as she touched his face. "And you two! Karin! Yuzu! You were so young... I'm sorry for not being there for you all these years..."

She had no more time for apologizing as her children clung to her, laughing and crying with relief.

"I told you they would never be mad at you, Masaki." Isshin grinned at his wife. "I never gave up on you, you know."

"I know, Isshin. I know. I love you. I love you all so much... It is good to be back where I belong." Masaki smiled as she looked at her family. "There's a party in there waiting for us."

"Yes! You need to meet Toushiro! You remember I told you about him back when I first came to the living world?" Isshin took his wife's hand and led the group back into the division. Ichigo and his sisters were still shocked silent by the sudden appearance of their long lost mother, but there was nothing that could make their smiles fall now.

"Ichigo, who is that woman? She looks familiar..." Rukia looked at him quizzically, not entirely sure what to make of his goofy grin.

"You probably saw the poster Dad kept of her in our old house... That's my mother Rukia. He found her in the Rukongai." He kissed the top of her head. "She's the missing piece of my family... I never thought I would see her again."

"You'll have to introduce me when your father lets her get away for a moment." Rukia smiled and squeezed his hand. She owed quite a lot to that woman.

At the other end of the table, Isshin and Masaki were talking to Toushiro and Karin. The white haired captain could not find it in himself to begrudge her the tight embrace she offered. Not when she clearly meant the world to the family he considered his own.

When the reunited couple had moved on, Toushiro could not stop himself from grinning at the radiant smile coming from his third seat.

"Shiro, my mother's back! I can't believe it! This is real, isn't it? Not a dream? If it is, don't wake me up!" Karin intertwined her fingers with his, not sparring a glance for Hinamori, who scowled at her briefly but sighed and turned her attention elsewhere.

"My family just keeps growing." Toushiro didn't bother mentioning that she should be using his formal title in public. They were with family, so he could let it slide for the day.

"Everyone! Your attention please!" Isshin had jumped up onto a clear table, arms spread wide and shouting enthusiastically to the people below him. "As much as I would like to have you all gathered together like this every day, I know you all have responsibilities to your own divisions that won't allow that. But today, forget all that! Forget your other responsibilities and positions. For today, I want you all to remember what is really most important. Family. Whether they are here with us, or spread far and wide, or lost completely, our family is what matters most in life. The people who love us and who we love." The man looked fondly around the group. "You're all my family. My niece and nephew, Kukaku and Ganju. My son and his wife, Ichigo and Rukia. Her brother, Byakuya. My daughters Yuzu and Karin. My dearest subordinates, past and present. Toushiro, Rangiku, and Isane. My best friend, Kisuke. Toushiro's childhood friend Momo. And of course, my beautiful wife, Masaki. In honor of those that we have lost, who should be seated here among us today, love those you have all the more in their absence!"

Isshin jumped off the table then, and was surprised to find his son clapping for him, soon joined by the others.

"Well said." Byakuya acknowledged. "Hisana would have agreed as well."

"Kaien, too." Kukaku nodded.

"And Gin." Rangiku smiled sadly.

"Granny." Momo and Toushiro agreed.

The evening was spent in high spirits as the men and women of Isshin's family enjoyed the company and food. By the time they parted, they all agreed that they should repeat the event regularly. At least every year, if not more. A day just for family.

Line -

"You did it, Karin!" Toushiro smiled proudly as the manifestation of her Zanpakuto stood before them.

"Shunruu, what made you decided to allow me to move forward?" Karin asked. The manifestation smiled and sat in front of the pair, mirroring their pose.

"I determined you were ready now. But it will still be a long road to achieving final release. Toushiro Hitsugaya, continue to protect my Shinigami. She will need your wisdom and experience in the next years as she works to master our power." The woman, who appeared similar to Karin, but taller and in contrast to Ichigo's inner hollow, radiating vibrant color from her pure white hair and skin.

"I will protect her and help her for as long as she will allow me, and I won't promise to stop even if that time comes to an end." Toushiro agreed. Having received his agreement, Shunruu faded into the green and blue around her. "Your Zanpakuto could compete with Rukia's for most beautiful in Soul Society. I've never seen such a contradiction as white being colorful, but I will never forget the sight either."

"Before she merged with my Quincy powers, she was the same as Shirosaki. Just a white version of myself. Something about the merge made her look like that. I'm going to go tell Mom about my progress, do you want to come with me?"

"Of course." Toushiro followed her out of the division, smiling at the familiarity of Rangiku asleep on her paperwork. He loved his family.


	32. Chapter 32

"Ichigo. Wake up, Ichigo."

As he opened his eyes, he came face to face with the manifestation of his Quincy powers. The old man looked concerned, but relaxed when Ichigo's eyes opened and focused. Sitting up, Ichigo looked around to find himself in his inner world.

"What's going on? Why did you bring me here?" The Substitute Shinigami slowly sat up.

"I didn't." The old man shook his head, then looked past Ichigo. Turning around, he was confronted by his colorless double.

"I did." Zangetsu held a hand down to him, helping him to his feet. "The war is going badly. The nine days are nearly up, and the Quincy army has nearly conquered all of Soul Society."

"I know... There are too many of them! Where am I, outside?" Ichigo asked as he accepted the hand and stood facing his Inner Hollow.

"Safe. Orihime is healing you right now. You're in the Urahara Shop basement. Rukia is hurt as well, but she will recover. Unless the Quincy win, in which case all Shinigami and Hollows will be wiped out." Zangetsu reported, taking a few steps away from Ichigo.

"What can we do?" He was out of ideas. He had become so powerful, but he still could not fight an entire army that was made to destroy him.

"You don't have the power to take back Soul Society on your own, but you could retake Hueco Mundo and bring the Arrancar to help us. It may be our only chance for victory. Halibel won't let a debt like that go unpaid. The Visored would follow you too. An army of half hollows would be the best defense against the Quincy army." The white haired Ichigo spoke calmly, waiting on the King to yell at him. To his surprise, he nodded.

"You're right. They've moved most o their army to Soul Society. With the help of the Visored, I could take back Hueco Mundo and free Halibel. With the help of her Arrancar, we would stand a chance against the Quincy. Old Man, what do you think?" The orange haired Soul Reaper asked the manifestation.

"It is a risky plan, but I agree, it may be the only chance of success."

"Then we'll do it. And..." He turned back to his Inner Hollow. "... When we're in Hueco Mundo, you're in charge. Protect those I care about and you have free reign on this mission. It was your idea."

Both Zangetsus stared at him in shock. The Inner Hollow was the first to find his tongue.

"You've grown up, King... I promise. Your friends and family will come to no harm by my hand. I'm not sure I could hurt them if I wanted to. Protecting them has become a part o you down to the level of your instincts. Thank you... For trusting me."

With a wave of parting to the manifestations of his power, Ichigo awoke in a dim room, the glow of Orihime's power focused on Rukia's leg.

"How is she?" He asked. Orihime jumped a little, then smiled.

"She's doing well. She has not woken up yet, but her injuries were mostly shallow or far from her vital regions. Were you really in your inner world?" The woman asked as her hair clip reformed, Rukia's healing finished.

"Yeah... And I have a plan. Urahara still here?" Ichigo stood and stretched. The newly recreated flesh was stiff and sore, but whole.

"He's upstairs getting food." Orihime said.

"Ichigo!" Rukia sat up, blinking, then calming when she caught sight of the tall man. "You're safe... I don't know how much of what I remember was the fight and how much was a nightmare..."

"I'm fine, Rukia. I'm glad you're okay." Ichigo went to her side and knelt down by the futon she was sitting on. "I have a plan, Rukia. It's dangerous, but it might be our only chance. Please, stay here in the living world and look after my sisters."

"I will... But where are you going?"

"I bet I can guess." Urahara grinned from the doorway. "You want to go to Hueco Mundo, don't you?"

"How did you know that?" Ichigo asked. Had the man been hiding in his inner world? Was that possible?

"I bet you're wondering if I can break in to your inner world, huh? Well, I can't. Yet, at least. I could tell you were in your inner world though, and that meant you were thinking or training. There isn't much more training you could do, so you must have been thinking. You woke up and I heard you say you had a plan, so that means your power manifestations had some say in it. And I had been thinking over the idea of going to Hueco Mundo myself. It was the logical conclussion." Urahara laughed and handed a tray of food to Orihime and then sat another on the low table for the others. "The Visoreds are on their way."

"Thanks... But if you had this plan already, why didn't you mention it?" Ichigo asked.

"Because I was hoping a better option would present itself. The Arrancar will be grateful, certainly. But getting them to follow a shinigami instead of a hollow? That's not going to be easy. Some would follow us, but not enough. To beat the Quincy army, we would need all of them. And for that, we need a hollow to lead them. Do you have a way to guarantee Halibel will take our side?" Urahara's smile had not gone away. Ichigo guessed the man knew what he was thinking, but wanted him to confirm it and tell the girls as well.

"My Inner Hollow will take over and lead the attack. They'll follow him. As soon as we set foot in Hueco Mundo, he's king, and I'm the horse." He explained. Orihime and Rukia immediately began to protest, but he shook his head. "It's the best option. He won't hurt you. He is me. Protecting you has become an instinct to me, and my inner hollow is my purest instincts."

"I think we have a chance, then. Tessai! Get in here!" Urahara shouted. The large man was at his side in a matter of moments. "Now, Ichigo. Will you turn over control to your Inner Hollow now? Between Tessai, Orihime, Rukia and I, we can contain you even if he chooses to betray your trust. I believe you're actions will carry more weight if you can open a Garganta yourself."

Ichigo took a deep breath, then nodded. He closed is eyes, slipping into his inner world.

"It's your turn. Remember your promise." He held out his hand, and his counterpart shook it.

"I will remember. Keep him safe, Old Man." The hollow spoke to the manifestation beside them, then vanished as he took control of their body.

In the basement of the Urahara Shop, the Shinigami were immediately able to feel the riatsu of a powerful hollow. Ichigo's eyes opened, but the colors had changed.

"I've never opened a Garganta before." He spoke directly to Urahara.

"Descorrer should come to you as instinctively as Sonido did. Just reach out to Hueco Mundo and open the passage. I have never encountered a more powerful hollow. It should be an easy task for you." Urahara had drawn his sword when the hollow's riatsu appeared, but kept it pointed low. He would not be the one to start a fight.

"Hollow... Is Ichigo safe?" Rukia looked at him intently. She was surprised when he smiled at her.

"Yeah. He's just in our inner world with the old man. And I will turn control back over to him after we have reconquered Hueco Mundo and brought the Arrancar to fight for us." He stood up and then paused. "It would be confusing to call us both Ichigo, and he still refers to the old man as Zangetsu out of habit, but it is kind of rude to just call me Hollow. How about Shirosaki, since my form in our inner world is pure white? I am just the other side of him, after all."

"Shirosaki, then. Let's go meet the Visored." Urahara motioned for him to take the lead, not entirely comfortable turning his back on the hollow.

The pair left, followed closely by Tessai, leaving the two women alone.

"Orihime, you saw his hollow side more closely before... Was that really him?" Rukia asked. Orihime nodded.

"It didn't look the same, but it felt the same. That was definitely his hollow side. The same one that destroyed Ulquiorra... Do you think we can really trust it?" The taller woman asked. Hesitantly, Rukia nodded.

"Yes. I think we can. Ichigo and Shirosaki has changed. Ichigo has accepted his Inner Hollow, and in turn, his Inner Hollow has accepted him. They can cooperate now." Rukia finally smiled. "I could still see Ichigo when I looked into his eyes."

Outside, Shirosaki was surprised tof ind a very small group.

"Hiyori, Love, Hachi, Lisa... This is it? Rose and Kensei are dead... Shinji is missing, and Mashiro is still fighting in Soul Society. I guess it will have to do. Alright! Will you follow me? Will you help me take back Hueco Mundo, and bring the Arrancar to the aid of Soul Society?" Shirosaki addressed the four Visored. Hachi, Love, and Lisa nodded. Hiyori glared at him, but did not shake her head in denial.

"I'll be joining you for the initial assault, then moving on to Soul Society ahead of you to clear a landing place. Aim for Soukyoku Hill when you enter Soul Society." Urahara said to the powerful hollow.

"How are we getting to Hueco Mundo?" Lisa asked. Shirosaki smirked.

"Like this." He turned away from the group and reached out into the air. Immediately, the world seemed to crack and open, falling away to reveal a dark passage. "Descorrer."

\- Line -

The assault had started off poorly, with their entry directly in line of sight of one of the few guards remaining. The six of them fought their way closer to the head quarters of the Quincy, only to have their way blocked by a group of Arrancar.

When reasoning with them was not enough to sway them to their cause, the stubborn Arrancar determined to be on the stronger side, Shirosaki took action. The sight of his full Vasto Lorde form was enough to make the Arrancar kneel before him. The blast of his Cero annhialating more than half of Las Noches sent the Quincy running. It took six hours to reconquer the world of the hollows and free their leader.

Halibel was shocked, but grateful to the group that had come to her aid. Urahara had left by that time, seeing Vasto Lorde Shirosaki as his cue to return to Soul Society.

With an army of Arrancar at his back, along with the four Visored, Shirosaki opened the Garganta to Soul Society and turned control back over to Ichigo. They joined forces with the remaining captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13, pleased to find Shinji and Mashiro still alive and fighting. With the combined forces, they were able to win the war in three hours, killing Yhwach nine hours after he had declared the world to be his dominion.


	33. Chapter 33

Nanao could not help but stare at what she saw that morning. It was the middle of summer. It was the time of year when her captain spent even more time than usual napping and avoiding work. But there, on his desk, sat the full stack of the days paper work, filled out in his neat, lazy handwriting. Beside the pile was a letter. Hesitantly, she picked it up.

 _My Dear Nanao_

 _Happy Birthday! I've taken care of all of your duties for the day and ensured that Momo and Rangiku are likewise unhindered. Go out and have some fun today. Relax, and I'll be the adult for once. I expect you to have a good time and not pick up an official document until 10 AM tomorrow. There is Anmitsu and Yokan for you in kitchen, try to get it before someone else takes it! You have a free pass to the living world for shopping and a weeks pay to spend on books and clothes. Karakura Town has a nice library, I'm told._

 _Sincerely, Shunsui_

She smiled and folded the letter neatly, slipping it into the pocket of her uniform and taking out a blank piece of paper from the desk. She sat in her captain's chair and took his pen, writing a note for him to find when he returned.

 _Captain_

 _Thank you for your hard work and generosity. I can not express how much I appreciate this. The key to your stash of sake has been taped to the bottom of your desk since I confiscated it. I thought it would be one of the last places you would look._

 _Lieutenant Ise_

Nanao sighed and resigned herself to her decision. That key had been a heavy bargaining chip for weeks, but her captain and certainly won it back this time. Picking up the envelope of money and her written pass to the living world, she went to the kitchen to find her sweet bean jelly treats and then go collect her friends.

Line -

"Hey Juushiro!" Shunsui grinned as he waved to his friend.

"Hey Shunsui. Out of the office already?" The white haired captain asked, looking up from the miniature tree he had been trimming.

"Yeah, turns out paper work really isn't all that terrible if you're sober enough to read but drunk enough not to notice your hand hurting." Shunsui sat down on the floor near his fellow captain and leaned his back against the wall. "Think I should send someone from the stealth force to make sure she doesn't try to do work on her day off?"

"I don't think you need to worry. She's a very serious girl, but I think she has the sense to know when to take a break, especially when the man she's crazy for goes out of his way to give her a day off. You decided what you're going to do about that yet?" The white haired captain came to sit by his friend and then looked at him pointedly. "You can't just let them both keep hoping for you. You'll have to make a choice."

"I know, Juushiro, I know. But how am I supposed to do that? Lisa and Nanao are like sisters, and I care about them both. Lisa was gone for so long, and I'm around Nanao all day, every day. She would be the logical choice. But I don't want to give Lisa reason to resent Nanao. What would you do?"

"I would like to say that I would tell them each the complete truth and hope for the best, but as I have not been fully honest with Kiyone, I would feel like a hypocrite. But I still believe that would be your best option. You started behaving like a responsible adult once you became captain commander, and Nanao immediately stopped trying to resist your charms. And of course, Lisa's return to the Gotei 13 caused her no small degree of mixed feelings, especially when you began spending time with your old Lieutenant."

"They both deserve better... Ha! That's it, Juushiro! All I have to do is get one of them to fall for someone else, then it's not a problem at all!" Shunsui laughed. Juushiro sighed and then laughed as well.

"Of course, a scheme like that would appeal more than risking someone having their heart broken. I'll help any way I can."

"Thanks. I'm glad I can always count on you. But you need to keep getting better and see to your own romantic struggles, my friend. Are Isshin's treatments really working?" Shunsui asked.

"Yes! I haven't felt this well since I was a child! I haven't coughed up blood in over a year now, and I was able to actually gain a few pounds. Apparently it was similar enough to a human condition that he was able to work with Urahara and Kurotsuchi to create a medication. He says it could take as long as five years, given the length of time I have been afflicted, but I should make a full recovery."

"I'm glad to hear it. As soon as he signs your clean bill of health, we're throwing a party that will be written down in history for the academy to study for centuries to come." Shunui laughed and patted his friend's shoulder. "Having any problems with your Lieutenant marrying outside your division?"

"None. Rukia has always had a strong sense of duty and Ichigo has only balanced her out, rather than completely turning her away from her official obligations. In fact, I was rather impressed by how much he matured in his first year as captain. He was every bit the hot headed kid he always was even his last decade in the living world, but a year of responsibility and a wife balanced him out as well."

"Lisa thinks very highly of him.


	34. Chapter 34

"Uryu, I still consider you a friend, so I will give you this one warning. Get your people out of Hueco Mundo, or they will all die. You've gotten yourself in too deep with them to just leave, I understand that, but if you care for any of them, this is your chance to save them." Ichigo was calm and steady as he spoke to the Quincy he had fought beside and against more times than he could count.

"Die? Ichigo, we both know you aren't the kind of person to exterminate your enemies. Some of them will die, sure, but all?" Uryu didn't bother drawing his weapon. He knew beyond any doubt Ichigo would win any one on one contest of strength, be it with him or with Kenpachi Zaraki. His old friend shook his head.

"Today's different. The Visored and I are going to Hueco Mundo to retake it and bring the Arrancar as our allies. I'm letting my inner hollow lead the fight. They will _all_ die." Ichigo said, wincing slightly. He had come to an agreement with his inner hollow, and they were now allies, if not exactly friends. But still, acknowledging that that much blood would be on his hands hurt. Uryu seemed genuinely shocked.

"Your inner hollow? But it's more blood thirsty than the Eleventh! What makes you think it will give back control of your body once the fight is over? Would you risk the lives of your friends for the sake of Soul Society? You can not have changed that much!"

"No. My friends will be safe. And as long as you do not personally force me to, you will be too. My inner hollow and I are in agreement. It's time to bring balance to the afterlife. That begins with taking back Hueco Mundo. Then I'm coming back to Soul Society with an army."


	35. Chapter 35

He spread his arms, his sword in its sealed form, his shirt discarded for a day of training that was now thoroughly interrupted. What better interruption than a good fight, though? He had been a bit bored with training dummies and sparring partners anyway. There were very few in the division he could really have fun with. Most would die in the mere presence of his bankai. But a challenge for the position of Kenpachi? That had not happened for a long time. For that, he could fight all out without guilt.

The challenger, a strong and arrogant recruit who had mastered his shikai in near record time, waited skeptically for the powerful man to take the fight seriously and ready his sword. The captain of the eleventh just grinned widely, letting all his bloodlust and excitement spill through his face, making him look half mad.

"Take that sword and see if you can even cut me! If you can, then I'll fight you! If you can't, then you will have one opportunity to leave the division alive, or die here and now!" The Kenpachi shouted at the challenger. Off to the side, his Lieutenant stood watching, as always. The recruit who had been overflowing with confidence only moments before now looked uneasy as he faced one of the most fearsome men to ever hold the title.

Clenching his teeth and committing himself fully to the attack, the challenger raised his blade and charged, swinging his Zanpakuto with all his strength at the exposed shoulder of his captain. The weapon came to the man's skin and stopped as if it had hit a steel beam rather than flesh and blood. Despite the fear and doubt now flooding through him, he continued to press forward, forcing all of his spiritual pressure into the blade until a drop of blood became visible.

"Well, calling that a cut would be laughable, but you did draw blood, and I want an excuse to cut loose! I hope you're ready for what you've gotten yourself into!" The Kenpachi roared as his riatsu poured out across the division, knocking the majority of those assembled to their knees. The challenger stumbled back, weighing his chances of survival if he were to turn and run now. He would never be able to show his face in the eleventh again, but at least he might live. He had been a fool to challenge his captain so soon out of the academy.

The captain, swung his blade with lightning speed, getting a feel for how the challenger fought. When was the last time he really fought with everything he had? It had been only rarely that he resorted to his shikai. The last time he used his bankai... That was the day he had become the Kenpachi.

 _It had been the most painful thing he had ever witnessed. A Vasto Lorde, a rebel that refused to acknowledge the agreement between Hueco Mundo and Soul Society, had begun hunting in the Rukongai. It had decimated two districts before a response was called. A captain and two Lieutenants came to fight the creature. All three died._

 _Those three, Komamura, Iba, and Kusajishi, fought till their last breath. The Vasto Lorde, overflowing with power from the thousands of souls it had already devoured, had defeated the easily. It killed Iba first, luring his captain into attacking blindly. Komamura followed close behind his subordinate. Little Yachiru Kusajishi had not even been assigned to this task. She had gone on her own, hoping that a good fight might take her mind off her captain's distant behavior since the death of her namesake._

 _The Hollow's claws punctured her heart from behind as it plowed through her shikai's strike rather than trying to dodge. She died with a look of surprise and confusion still hanging on to her face. When word reached the Seireitei, no force could stop her captain from seeking revenge. Kenpachi Zaraki summoned his bankai one time, using it's unstoppable power to destroy the Hollow, then returning to his division to demand his own death._

 _It was decided that there was only one person in the division worthy of such an honor and duty. Ikkaku Madarame reluctantly stepped forward and unleashed the full power of his Zanpakuto. After the battle with the Vasto Lorde, Zaraki was in no shape to fight his third seat, but Ikkaku would not insult his hero by killing him with less than his very best._

Now, Kenpachi Ikkaku Madarame and his Lieutenant Yumichika Ayasegawa lead the eleventh division in the spirit of their fallen leader. Although the assembled had numbered less than 200, it was decided that Ikkaku's position would be allowed to stand. It was the tradition of the eleventh, and no one wanted to waste the time on paperwork or the life of a captain level shinigami to try and take the position from the bald man.


	36. Chapter 36

The captain of the Eleventh Division and the Lieutenant of the Fourth walked side by side through the streets of the Rukongai. They were out in the farthest districts of the north, on a mission from the Twelfth. They believed a small colony of Visored had taken up residence just beyond the Eightieth district.

"I'm sorry... I asked them to send someone else, but they insisted that you would be the best protection..." The tall girl said to her companion. He shook his head and gave her a reassuring smile. Not something many got to see from the fearsome man.

"Its alright, Isane. I'll be fine. Your Kidou for the nightmares helped me deal with the memories too. Let's just get this taken care of." He said stiffly. Despite his words, the memories their surroundings brought back to him were causing him no small amount of distress.

 _Nearly a century ago, now, since they died... How has it been so long already? It feels like it was just yesterday, walking these streets..._ He thought to himself. He looked around. It could have been the same street that had set him on his path to join the Eleventh. They all looked similar, and the location was not what he remembered of the event.

"I've never been beyond the Eightieth District before... Have you?" Isane asked, walking closer to the warrior's side. She could hold her own in a fight, but she was less than a candle next to the inferno that was her guardian.

"No... Back in those days, the goal was to head in, not out. The farther in, the stronger your opponents, and all I was looking for was a good fight." He came to a sudden stop. "I think we should stop for the night. We have no idea what we'll be up against when we leave the Rukongai, and I know a place we can sleep without getting knifed in our sleep."

The captain led the lieutenant through a few cracked and cluttered streets, and then through the back door of what might have been an inn. They purchased a room, and once they were settled in, Isane preformed her nightly ritual of casting her Kidou on them both. She had developed the Kidou to help keep her own childish nightmares at bay, but the man beside her had far greater need of peaceful rest.

"Thanks, Isane. I don't know what I would do without you." He gave her a wide grin before stretching out on the bed, waiting until she had taken her spot against his side to wrap his arms tightly around her. Even with the Kidou, having a silver haired good luck charm helped him find dreamless sleep. And with a man as powerful as he, Isane never woke in fear.

Line -

It had been a few hundred years since the Quincy attacks. Soul Society was enjoying an extended period of peace, and although the death toll for their last war had been high and left many with holes in their hearts, the centuries of prosperity afterward were widely considered to be worth the cost.

The Kurosaki family had joined the ranks of the Shinigami immediately, and two of the four were immediately made captains. Isshin, no longer possessing any desire for battle, took up the roll of captain of the Fourth, keeping Isane as his Lieutenant and proudly appointing his youngest daughter the post of fourth seat. Yuzu's natural talent for healing Kidou kept anyone from claiming the act as biased.

Ichigo took the position of Captian in the Ninth Division, allowing Shuhei Hisagi to maintain the roll of Lieutenant under him. His middle sister joined the Tenth Division, rising to a position of seventh seat. Around the same time, the rest of the Substitute Group arrived. Chad joined the Eighth, but never took a seat. He was quiet and content, as he always had been. Orihime joined the Fourth to the surprise of no one. She held the Third Seat, between Isane and Yuzu. Tatsuki joined the Ninth, despite many invitations to the Eleventh.

With the return of his friend, Urahara decided to rejoin the Gotei 13, and was reassigned his old position as captain of the Twelvth and head of the Research Institute. Rather than simply remove the mad man he was replacing, he allowed Mayuri to act as co-head of the Institute, and his daughter to remain his Lieutenant, serving both of them. It was not ideal for anyone involved, but it was the best compromise that two of the greatest minds in Soul Society could come up with.

Urahara had earned his full pardon a few decades previously when Aizen had escaped and gone on a rampage. The powerful mastermind had been determined to make the green clad man tip his hand and loose his cool. Perhaps he regretted that goal once he succeeded. The criminal unleashed an experimental soul fire on the shop of his enemy, and both Ururu and Jinta died in the flames. That day, Kisuke Urahara released his Bankai, and allowed the Crimson Princess to dispatch the psychopath beyond all hope of return.

Yoruichi found herself without any acquaintances in the living world, and so returned as well. After a time spent living with the Shiba clan, she was given the position of Lieutenant of the Second Division at the demand of it's captain. Many think she is given the same respect and authority as the captain, but none dare say it in front of Soi Fon.

Ishida, though he hated to join the ranks of those he still adamantly considered his inferiors, took up a position of liaison between the remainder of the Quincy and the Shinigami of Soul Society. Despite his constant complaints, he would not choose any other life. Or afterlife.

So it was, that in these days of peace, a pessimist might have said that all good things must come to an end. They would have been right.

The message came without provocation or explanation. Hueco Mundo was declaring war on the Seireitei. It was not an act of revenge or irrational hatred. No, their ruler had decided, after careful consideration, that the potential gain was greater than the potential loss. With the eradication of the Soul Reapers, the hollows would have sole claim to the souls of the dead.

The war came with a fury that put Aizen and the Quincy to shame. The Court of Pure Souls was reduced to a hellish war zone. Countless Shinigami lost their lives as they faced an army led by no less than twenty Vasto Lorde. The leader of the hollows was an Arrancar that had devoured Tier Harribel, and his Cero was strong enough to reduce a captain to ash. Sajin was remembered as a hero for sacrificing his life to save his division from the destruction the hollow had fired at them.

With the combined strength of Ichigo Kurosaki, Kisuke Urahara, Isshin Shiba, and Kenpachi of Zaraki, they were able to hold off the assault. That is, until a life was lost that tipped the balance. The pink haired Lieutenant was laughing when the Vasto Lorde's claws punctured her heart from behind, tearing her from her captain's back.

The retreat was called by the head captain in an effort to get as many shinigami as possible out of the path of the most terrifying man to ever walk the streets of Soul Society.

The few hollows that escaped would tell stories for generations to come about the horror they faced that day. A shinigami that made even Vasto Lorde Arrancar's run in fear. A Soul Reaper who achieved bankai in a rage, and who's riatsu was so powerful that lesser hollows disintegrated simply from his presence. The giant man, wielding a scythe wrapped nearly to the blade in bandages, cut down the armies while roaring out his anger and grief. Among the white bandages that covered the hilt of Nanashi Nozarashi, one single thread was pink.

The battle ended as the last of the hollows fell back through to Hueco Mundo and Zaraki collapsed to his knees in the middle of a field of bodies, cradling the tiny body of his surrogate daughter.

He had looked up with tears running down his face to his third seat, begging him to do what had to be done. Ikkaku Madarame became the Kenpachi that day, as he struck down the man who had inspired him for centuries. Zaraki's final wish was for he and Yachiru to be burned and their ashes buried in the Eleventh, the only place the two had ever called home. No one dared tell Ikkaku that he could not fulfill that request.

Yumichika became the Lieutenant of the Eleventh, serving under his best friend in much the same capacity as he always had. He still handled all of the paperwork, and Ikkaku still handled most of the training. It took years for the bald man to truly accept what had happened. When he finally did, it took him another decade to stop waking up screaming.

A memorial was erected behind the Eleventh, with two swords set in stone. One white and one pink. One large and one tiny. One ragged and chipped, one smooth and untarnished. There was no better symbol of the warriors they represented.

Ikkaku grew close to the Lieutenant of the Fourth as she treated him for his nightmares. Some time later, they had a daughter. Yachiru Madarame. He knew Zaraki would have approved. As the child grew, it became apparent she shared more with her namesake than her name. When she reached the age of ten, it was all too clear. Yachiru had been reincarnated and died again, and by some miracle, she had been born to them.

She possessed none of her memories, as was the case with all those who were reincarnated. It was a chance in a billion that they would even find her again, let alone for her to be made a part of their family, but there she was. The joy of the Eleventh Division.

Ikkaku was able to grow to accept the name of Captain Kenpachi Ikkaku Madarame, although he still thought of Zaraki as The Kenpachi, and likely always would.

Urahara had preformed some experiments, and was relatively certain that he could restore the former lieutenant's memories, but Ikkaku and Isane decided against it. It could bring nothing to the girl but the pain of knowing Zaraki had died.

Line -

"Ikkaku, wake up. It's morning." Isane stretched and then gently shook the man next to her. He blinked a few times, then slowly sat up. It was a vast improvement over the years after Zaraki's death. No less than three members of the Fourth or the Eleventh were sent to a healer each week. Whoever was unfortunate enough to find out whether the captain would awake in a panic or a rage on any particular day.

"Already? For all the good it does, that kidou makes a good night's sleep feel like a blink." The bald man stood up and immediately picked up his sword, which had been within arm's reach of the bed all night. Once he had it at his side, he got dressed and led the way out onto the streets again. It was a little past noon when they reached the edge of the Rukongai.

"It's... Empty. It looks like Hueco Mundo." Ikkaku stared out at the expanse of white sand, near the horizon he could make out a small protrusion from the ground, but he could not tell what it was. They spent the afternoon covering the distance in flash steps until the could identify the landmark as a small oasis.

It looked like it had begun as a spring and a few trees, but it had been turned into a sanctuary. The trees around the edge were planted very close together and thick vines wove between them until it was impossible to see through to the inside. The pair circled the enclosure twice before they found the entrance. A small passage that was nearly impossible to see from the wrong direction.

They called out to whoever may have been inside that they were from the Seireitei, and they were sent to bring them back and care for any health problems they may have developed in their exile. Ikkaku just had time to pull Isane out of the way when a blade lashed out at her. Immediately taking the fight out into the open and light of the desert, Ikkaku stumbled when he saw his opponent.

A tall, thin man with long dark hair. A ragged, angular face. Long limbs and stringy muscle. He was grinning wildly, and half of a hollow mask was attached to his face as an eye patch might have been.


	37. Chapter 37

Many people see the Eleventh and the Fourth Divisions to be polar opposites. The violent, chaotic, ruthless animals that take lives, and the kind, caring, gentle angels that save lives. In reality, they were two sides of the same coin. Few knew all the details, but they all knew the traditions.

For one, the two divisions coordinated their schedules, so that the Fourth had the most people on duty when the Eleventh had the most people training. As a side effect, the two divisions had coinciding days off, unlike most of the divisions. This resulted in members of each seeing more of each other than any other two divisions in the Court Guard Squads.

Another tradition is the Eleventh's "on the job training" of the Fourth. They kept to certain rules. They would never attack a healer while they were working, during a time of war or outbreak of disease, or on their day off. They would never kill one of the healers. They would never attack an unarmed healer. If the healer stood their ground and asked for the fight to be over, they would comply. If the healer ran, they were inviting pain upon themselves, and even healers are not allowed to be cowards. They also did not tell the healers the rules. They had to figure it out themselves.

There is also a tradition among the men of the Eleventh that if you are helped by the same female healer three visits in a row, you have to take her on a date. Due to this, there are more couples between the two divisions than most will admit to. After all, angels and demons just didn't do things like that. In public.

Although these traditions have been in place for years, it is relatively rare for individuals to arise within their respective division who truly embody the bond the Fourth and the Eleventh share. One such pair, although their details are largely kept quiet, were Kenpachi Zaraki and the former Kenpachi Retsu Unohana. The other is surprisingly even less well known.

Line -

"Who do you think will win?" Lieutenant Omaeda asked, arms folded over his chest.

"I don't know... Aramaki has held his seat for decades, so he must be strong." Lieutenant Kotetsu said quietly. She had not dealt much with either of the men who were fighting. As the Lieutenant, she was privileged with choosing her patients under normal circumstances. She found both men slightly unbearable, and tended to avoid them.

"I bet one of them is dead at the end. 1000 Kan?" The large man smirked and waved the money in front of his fellow Lieutenant. The tall girl glared at him.

"I am not betting on lives!"

"Why not? They're Eleventh Division. They kill each other off like flies anyway. Why not make a little money off it? They're just a bunch of animals." Omaeda said. The arrogant man was another individual that she tended to avoid.

"They are not animals. The Eleventh is really beautiful, in a certain way." The silver haired woman said. A few feet to her side, Yumichika perked up and turned toward the pair, listening closer. His long time friend followed suit, wondering what had caught the pretty boy's attention.

"How can you of all people say something like that? You're in the Fourth! You see first hand what they do to each other!" Omeada gaped at her. She sighed.

"The Fourth gets to see more of the Eleventh than anyone else, and we know them better than anyone but themselves. Have you thought, then, that I know better than you on this subject?" Lieutenant Kotetsu said. She rarely lost her temper, but this man was pushing her. She did not like it when people spoke poorly of people she respected.

"I see enough to know you're deluded to think they are any better than a pack of wolves."

"You would be ignorant to the beauty of that as well, wouldn't you?" She growled at him. Yumichika was very interested now. It was rare for a member of the fourth to defend the honor of the Eleventh. "Of all the divisions we are responsible for healing, none of them are as close as the Eleventh. They are a family, more so than any other. They understand honor and duty, and they are brave and strong. Just because they chose the path of the warrior instead of the doctor does not mean they are less than anyone else. They save lives just as much as I do, they just do it a different way."

"They kill people!" Omeada could not believe she was so foolish.

"Yes, so do you. The Execution Squad is renowned for its violence and ruthless nature, can you say they are more honorable than the Eleventh, when they will poison, back-stab, and assassinate people, even people they do not know the crimes of? The Eleventh fights enemies they can see, and they fight them head on. They are the strongest division, and we would be in just as much trouble without them as you would all be without the Fourth." She continued to glare at the man.

"They helped the invaders against orders when the substitute came with his friends!"

"And they helped save an innocent woman from execution."

"That's not the point..."

"Get lost, Omeada. I don't know how you got invited to this anyway. You are certainly not beautiful." Yumichika had joined the tall woman now, touching the hilt of his sword lightly as he locked eyes with the second division lieutenant. For a moment, he looked like he might stay and fight, but then he saw the bald man coming to join his friend and decided against it. "I'm sorry for the harassment, the fool was rejected from the Eleventh and never got over it."

"Oh, it's alright. Thank you." The woman bowed politely to him, causing the pair to laugh.

"Formality has no place among warriors, Lieutenant. My seat is due to my fighting ability, not nobility." Yumichika said. Ikkaku nodded and extended a hand to the woman, who took it cautiously.

"I'm Ikakku and this is Yumi. I don't remember ever hearing your name, Lieutenant." The bald man said.

"Lieutenant... Isane. Call me Isane." She smiled at them as they both turned back to the fight.

"You are the first person I've met outside the division who has a clue how close we are. How'd you figure it out?" Ikkaku said to her, never taking his eyes off the fight.

"It seemed obvious to me... I treat so many of you that I realized it must be hard not to form a stronger bond than most when you put your lives at risk side by side so often." She looked at his face as he watched the battle and realized he was very handsome. The small blood red marks at the corners of his eyes drew her gaze every time she looked at him. She blushed and looked away. "You don't end up in the Fourth as often as the others. You must be very strong to avoid injury so well.

"He's afraid of needles, so he prefers to treat himself unless it is life or death." Yumichika laughed at his friend. The bald man shoved him, but didn't deny it.

"Ah, that would make sense. Some of the less skilled healers can't manage everything with kido, so they use physical methods of wound care. As long as I am not busy, you can request me any time you need healed. There isn't anything I would use a needle for that I can not do with kido. It would be better for you to get our help than risk infection for being stubborn." Isane said quietly. Ikkaku raised a hairless eyebrow at her.

"I don't get injured often, but I'll keep that in mind. Thanks." He thought for a moment, then addressed her again. "Why aren't you captain of the Fourth anymore?"

"Yuzu was better suited to the position, even as young as she is. Ichigo would have been a good choice as well, but he had enough of being a doctor while he was alive. I prefer being the Lieutenant. It's were I am comfortable."

"I can't believe we have four Kurosakis here, and three are captains!" Ikkaku shook his head.

"I'm surprised they allowed Isshin to have that title back. Although, with Shunsui in charge instead of Yamamoto, things have been a bit more relaxed." Isane said. As she turned back to the fight, the challenger was knocked to the ground, bloody, but alive. She smiled and began to step forward, but Ikkaku caught her shoulder.

"Let him ask for help himself. It will hurt his pride a little, but it is the standard rule here." The bald man said. She looked back at him, then nodded and waited by his side until the bloody man called out for her aid. She noticed Ikkaku's hand stayed on her shoulder until she went to the other man's side to heal him. She found she didn't mind.

"Finally found someone you like for more than there fighting ability, Ikkaku?" Yumichika said, appearing at his side. The bald man glared daggers at his friend.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Some weeks later, the two Eleventh Division warriors were sparring.

Yumichika growled as he held back yet again. It was like Ikkaku wasn't even trying! It was insulting.

"I don't know where your head is at, but get it back on the fight before I chop it off!" The pretty boy slashed again, only to find the defense he had been expecting absent. His blade left a long cut across his friend's chest and arm. He sheathed his blade and stomped to the third seat's side. "Alright, spill. What is wrong with you today."

He expected a punch for prying into his best friend's personal life before he shared it on his own. He was not expecting a grin of triumph. At first he thought it had been a trick to get him to let his guard down, but Ikkaku was sheathing his own blade.

"This is going to be a pain to fight with. I'm going to go get this taken care of, we can have a rematch later." The bald man walked away, leaving the fifth seat to realize the truth and then sigh in exasperation.

"There are better ways to get the girl, you know..." His words were wasted, as his friend was already out of the division and on his way to the Fourth.

When he arrived, he made his request quietly to the shinigami who greeted him. She raised an eyebrow at his request, but as he was the third seat of the most feared division, she nodded and sent him to a room. A few minutes later, a tall woman walked into the room and sighed.

"I expected it to take you longer to take me up on that offer." Isane smiled to herself and sat in front of the man and began work healing his cut. "What happened?"

"Yumi got in a lucky shot while we were sparring. It would have gotten in the way of my fighting if I bandaged it up myself, so I thought I would drop by." He watched her face flicker between deep concentration on her work, and amused interest in his excuse. She didn't know he was lying through his teeth, did she?

"Should I be expecting to see him in here later today then?"

"It's definitely possible, but I wouldn't count on it. We try not to bloody each other up too much when we're sparring. Neither of us want's to be incapacitated if a real fight pops up."


	38. Chapter 38

"You're an idiot."

Rukia spun around and glared at the man who had spoken.

"Renji, what are you doing here, and why are you insulting me for no reason?" She demanded.

"I'm here, and insulting you, because you are an idiot." He answered calmly, glaring at her.

She wanted to scream at him and tell him to get lost, but her curiosity would not let her send him away without an explanation.

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't have something important to say. Why am I an idiot?" She crossed her arms over her chest and waited. Renji sat on the floor and waited for her to follow suit.

"Why the hell are you here instead of in the living world?" Renji asked. Rukia blinked.

"I have a duty to Soul Society! I can't just abandon my work to play house with Ichigo! He'll be here in time anyway." The short shinigami looked at the floor angrily.

"Soul Society got by without you for thousands of years before, and will continue on for many more after you are gone and forgotten. There is nothing you are going to do here in the next seventy years that we can't get by without. He's going to grow old and die alone without you. He needs you more than we do, and he deserves you a hell of a lot more than we do." The red head said.

"I... That's not fair..." Rukia growled.

"Before you even dare to say that isn't true, take a minute to think about this. When everyone in the world turned against you, your friends, all of Soul Society, me, your brother... When even you wouldn't raise a finger to save yourself when you were sentenced to death against all reason... Who was it that literally stormed the gates of heaven and fought through the armies of hell to save you?"

"Ichigo..."

"Yeah. Have you ever since doubted him? Is there anyone alive or dead you trust as much as him? Soul Society got twisted and used in an attempt to murder you, and he was willing to sacrifice everything to save you, and when you have the chance to choose between living out the rest of his life with him and filling out paper work for those who would have watched you die, you are going to choose them?! Idiot!" Renji shouted, and this time, she didn't deny it.

"What can I do? I _do_ have an obligation to Soul Society..." She looked up at him sadly.

"Already taken care of. You're friends here may not be as good as you deserve, but they pulled through this time. There were enough of us to convince Yamamoto to give you a mandatory vacation. Urahara technically will have custody of you and will be in charge of any visits to Soul Society, but otherwise, you will be issued a perfect gigai and left to spend the better part of the next century with Ichigo with no interference by Soul Society." Renji leaned back on his palms, watching her.

"Why are you doing this?" Rukia asked quietly.

"Because you and Ichigo both deserve a few decades of peace and happiness after all you've been through. This was the least we could all do to repay our debt. You better visit at least once every year or two."

"I will... I can't even begin to thank you for this... But what if he's already given up on me and found someone else? He knows I chose to stay here!"

"Idiot! You're just making excuses now! Get down there!" Renji jumped up and tossed her out the door, pointing down the road. "They have the gate open. Urahara's waiting. I expect you to have a ring on your finger the next time I see you!" The red head laughed and gave her a light push. "Go. Surprise him. Be happy."

Rukia nodded to her old friend and smiled. She was going to spend another lifetime in the human world... She turned and called out her one last question.

"What do you mean by a perfect gigai?"

"I mean it is as close to human as it is possible to be. You'll have to eat, drink, breath, and sleep. And you are completely capable of reproduction, so you know, keep that in mind tonight." Renji had vanished into the building, laughing, before she could begin to beat him up.


	39. Chapter 39

It was very late at night. Yoruichi was exhausted and collapsed on her bed in the Urahara shop with a moan. She'd spent the entire day training with Soi Fon, and her little bee was getting to be quite fast and strong. She was asleep almost the instant her head hit the pillow.

She awoke an hour later coughing. The room was full of smoke and she could barely see the flickers of flame. She rolled off her bed and on to the floor, drawing a breath of the cleaner air below the smoke. Regaining her senses, she looked for an exit. The door was not an option. She could already see the edges blackening as the fire from the hall outside worked away at it.

The window caught her eye and she flash stepped to it, smashed it, and was outside in an instant, panting. She was still winded from her training that day. Before she had recovered, she heard a scream. She launched into action as soon as she recognized Ururu's voice.

It didn't make sense. The little girl was so powerful, why didn't she simply punch down a wall and escape? She understood when she drew near the flames again. _Hellfire._ It was another of Urahara's inventions that he had destroyed long ago. A special flame that is fueled by the spiritual pressure of those around it. As it burns, it drains them.

For an instant, Yoruichi was thankful that she had been so drained already that the flames had little to feed on. Then she put on another burst of speed and flashed through the window into the hall nearest the childrens' rooms. She coughed and nearly collapsed as the flames lurched closer, nearly smothering her with smoke.

She felt her eyes watering and her lungs burning, but continued on, kicking through the door. It took her three tries to finally bring it down. The small black haired girl was laying on the floor, unmoving. The flash step queen lifted her little body and was soon back out on the grass. She took only a moment before returning for Jinta.

When she reached his room, she held back tears. She knew he was already gone. His room had no vent since he didn't like his room as cold as the other dwellers of the shop. The smoke had suffocated him in his sleep. She gently lifted his body and took it outside, laying it next to his friend.

Ururu wasn't breathing. Yoruichi could barely hold herself up on her hands and knees. As she panted, she had a horrible thought. Tessai hadn't come out yet. She forced herself to her feet and reentered the burning building. She was able to make it to the large man's room, but let out a soft cry of despair when she saw him, trapped, helpless beneath a burning slab of wood.

There was no chance that she could save him. She couldn't even drag herself out of this inferno again. They were both going to die. Just like the children. Then _he_ was standing next to her. His spiritual pressure flared beyond what she had ever seen him allow before. Like a fire smothered in gasoline, the hellfire flashed, then flickered and died.

Kisuke Urahara stepped forward and tossed the smoldering beam away from his friend like it was made of foam. He lifted the man and then picked up Yoruichi, just as her vision faded.

Line -

"What happened?!" Soi Fon dashed into the room, nearly tearing the door off it's hinges in her hurry to reach her mentor's side.

"A group of extremists successfully freed Aizen from his prison. He sent a group of them with an old invention of mine to try and kill me in my sleep, thinking he would then be untouchable. Apparently he is unaware that Ichigo regained his powers, or I'm sure he would have launched an attack on that front as well. Tessai is seriously injured, and will remain badly scarred even after he has healed. Yoruichi is still unconscious from the smoke. Ururu and Jinta... Both died." Urahara explained the situation calmly, but Soi Fon saw him tightly gripping the hilt of Benihime.

"Why were you unharmed, if you were the target?"

"I was in the underground training field with Karin when she said she smelled smoke. We left through the back exit and I sent her home while I went to help the others. Her family should be arriving soon, for their own safety, until Aizen is taken care of."

"I'm going after him!" Soi Fon snarled and turned toward the door. Urahara caught her arm.

"No. Stay here with Yoruichi. She'd want you to be here when she wakes up. She'll need someone. She wasn't able to save Ururu or Jinta, and that will be hard on her."

"I... Fine. But what about that monster?" She sat next to her mentor's bed and gently slipped her fingers into the unconscious woman's grip.

"The Central 46 are discussing what they believe to be the best options. Aizen has demanded we submit to him. Having seen we can not contain him indefinitely, they are considering agreeing to this." There were gasps of shock and outrage from the other occupants of the room at Urahara's words.

"They can't do that! I'll fight the Central 46 _and_ Aizen before I bow to that monster!" Soi Fon was about to jump to her feet again when Urahara raised a hand to calm her.

"That won't be necessary. I'm going to take care of Aizen." Urahara turned to the door and walked away from the others. He paused at the door and spoke to Soi Fon. "Tell Yoruichi thank you for rescuing their bodies, and that I'm sorry I was not able to get there faster. I will return after I have finished with him and buried the children."

Line -

"It seems my plan worked." Aizen laughed as Urahara appeared before him.

"And what was your plan? To murder two innocent children? Hospitalize my friends with my own invention? Destroy my home?"

"To test you. You've always been the one unknown in my plans. All the others are so simple. So stupid compared to myself. It was like playing chess, except there was one piece on the board that I did not understand. I didn't know how it would move. So I sent a few pieces to provoke it, and see what would happen. I would never have been defeated before had I fully understood you. I was a fool not to make that a priority, but I am not making that mistake again." Aizen smiled calmly and confidently.

"So what now? Do you know what this piece is capable of now?"

"I know where it breaks. I know where it's limits are. That is a start. Rest assured, I will be testing you more. Ichigo won't be able to weaken me for you again, and I know your tricks now. I learned my lesson, and I thank you sincerely for showing me my flaws so that I could remove them." He laughed cruelly, then walked closer to Urahara. "It is a pleasant surprise seeing you lose your composure. I had wondered if this would even be enough, but appears your limits are far lower than I had anticipated."

"You believe that this has made me weak? Aizen, you are a fool. A greedy coward, and a fool. I allowed you to live. I let you make Ichigo stronger. I let you make them all stronger. You never understood, even as you experienced it. Living things are different from non living things. Where a brick becomes weaker as you damage it, living things become stronger. All these people you hated so much... Every time you failed to kill them, you made them stronger." Urahara held Aizen's gaze as he slowly drew Benihime.

"When you cut someone, they bleed. When they bleed, they become weaker. That is the way of things. You have been damaged. You were not strong enough to defeat me yourself before, and you are not now. You allowed nothing. I am immortal. I am a god!" Aizen grinned, his face showing a small spark of insanity after the few short years in his prison.

"I allowed you to go on with your plan until it became clear your harm was beginning to outweigh your benefit. I thought that perhaps, 20,000 years from now, the world would be in need of someone to make them stronger again, so I only imprisoned you. But you could not be happy with your life. You are greedy. You needed more. You would not even face me yourself. You had your followers burn my home in the night. Coward. You never understood how weak the Hogyoku made you. You are no longer alive, really. When you are damaged, the Break Down Sphere gives you more power, but you do not become stronger. You become weaker, and so does it. You weak, cowardly, greedy fool." Urahara raised his zanpakuto in a flash and raked it across Aizen's chest, leaving a deep scratch in the sphere.

"No! It has made me too strong for you to ever harm! All I must do is desire more strength and it comes! The stone will never allow itself to be destroyed, and it is a part of me!" Aizen yelled at his, drawing his own blade and releasing it. His illusions would not affect one as brilliant as Urahara, but it would be fun to cut down his one remaining enemy.

"I'm through wasting words on you. You killed Ururu and Jinta. I think you ought to know their names before you die. This is what happens when you hurt a living soul. You see its true strength. Isn't that what you wanted? Maybe if you had not thought so lowly of humans, you might have listened to one of their old sayings. Be careful what you wish for." Urahara advanced on his enemy. His voice remained calm, but it carried a hatred he had never felt for anyone before. Aizen heard it, and slashed at the man, screaming in rage as his blow was effortlessly blocked.

"I wish for what I desire, and I attain it! Now, I wish for your death!"

"My death? Someday. But not today. Today is yours." Urahara raised Benihime over his head and finally let his rage and grief pour out through his soul, knocking Aizen back with his blast of spiritual pressure. "Bankai."

Line -

"Is she awake?" Urahara asked quietly from the door way. Soi Fon smiled tiredly at him. In the dim light of the room.

"She woke up two hours ago, but the doctors used the time to run a more thorough check up and then put her back to sleep. She will be glad to see you came back in one piece." Soi Fon followed the man out into the hallway, then gasped as they stepped into the light. Urahara was bathed in blood from head to toe. Kenpachi would have been proud. "W-where is Aizen?"

"An unfortunate amount of him is on me. The rest is buried in a landfill in the human world. The Hogyoku is destroyed. I need a shower now. If Yoruichi wakes up, tell her I'll be back soon, but don't keep her up if she is too tired." Urahara held something out to her. "Please hang onto these as well. I don't want his blood on them." With that, he turned and walked away from her, leaving a trail of red foot prints behind him.

Soi Fon lifted the lid of the box she had been handed. Inside were four necklaces, each with a small lock of hair. Two red, two black. She smiled and closed the lid, returning to Yoruichi's side and taking her hand again. She could rest easy now, knowing Aizen was gone for good. And for the first time since she had agreed to stay behind, she was very glad she had not been present when Urahara had confronted him.

Line -

"Woah, Hat-N-Clogs, what the hell happened?!" Ichigo stared at the man.

"Aizen escaped and sent his followers to burn my home in the night. Ururu and Jinta died. I assumed he was trying to eliminate me as a threat, and would then turn to you, so I had you brought here for safety."

"I meant what happened to you! You look like you spent the day hanging out with Kenpachi!"

"Ah, that. Aizen's been taken care of. Benihime loved those children very much."

Line -

Many decades ago, Urahara made a discovery about the nature of the balance between the spirit world and the human world. When a human dies, they travel to the Soul Society, to Hueco Mundo, or to the Underworld. Those who become hollows and die are reborn in the Soul Society. Those who die in the Soul Society are reborn in the human world. And when a Soul Reaper dies, they become the Zanpakuto that dwells within the soul of human destined to become Soul Reapers. When a Zanpakuto is destroyed, it's soul is set free, and they pass on beyond the Soul Society.

He never learned what may happen to those souls that passed beyond or into the Underworld, nor how more souls came into being, but he did learn that his Zanpakuto was once a Soul Reaper. Benihime lived many centuries before Urahara, and after her death, she waited many generations for the right soul to come along to wield her. As she waited, she watched. Her children grew and died, and so did their children. And theirs. Now, her descendant were all but gone. The last two children of her line did not even know they were related.

When Urahara first spoke to her, she knew he would do this one thing for her. He had adopted the two children, her own distant descendants, and kept an eye on them. Training them, teaching them, protecting them. Preparing them to become Soul Reapers one day as well.

In exchange, she taught him how to achieve Bankai. He understood it immediately, and set to work creating the apparatus necessary. Within weeks he had completed his work. He took his blade deep into the earth and plunged it into the device, drawing forth her soul into physical form once again.

They fought for two days and two nights, Urahara never surrendering in his desire to master his blade, and Benihime not willing to give herself to a man too weak to wield her. The children found their way into the training grounds, and watched in awe as the two battled so fiercly.

Neither had grown strong yet. They were little more than human children. When a large and powerful Hollow followed them through the door they had left open, Benihime feared it was too late. To her surprise, Urahara flung himself at the creature unarmed, wrestling it away from the children she had tasked him with protecting.

With that act he had proven himself to her. That was all it took. Mutual trust.

"I will lend you my power, Kisuke Urahara! From this day forward, I am yours!" Benihime cried. He drew her from his invention and pointed the blade at the hollow.

"Bankai!" Urahara shouted, feeling the blade hum in his hand. It was a terrifying sight, even being on the safe end. Benihime was unlike any other Zanpakuto. Her Bankai did not lend her's partner some special power or weapon. It was an agreement that she would slay the threat he gave to her. He had been willing to sacrifice his life to save those children for her, so she would give this man her power. There were no exceptions or conditions. She was the Crimson Princess, and when her master called on her, she would destroy his enemies.


	40. Chapter 40

"King! You bastard, get in here _now_!" The hollow shouted to the pouring sky. The battle had gone badly. Worse than anything the orange haired hero had been through before, and that was quite an accomplishment. He had been beaten so completely and so thoroughly that his Zanpakuto had reverted to its sealed form for the first time since he had called its name.

"He can not hear you..." The old man said, less than helpful. The hollow wasn't interested in such trivial matters as can and can't. The fool _would_ hear him, or he would just keep making a racket.

"The hell he can't!" The hollow snapped at his companion. He had shared the peculiar landscape with the manifestation of Ichigo's Quincy powers since he had come into existence. When Ichigo was not involved, they got along rather well, for two beings who were completely abhorrent to each other. But the old man had only ever wanted to protect Ichigo from harm, while the hollow wanted him to grow strong. It must have been the fact that the boy's mother had passed him the Quincy powers that left them with such a desire to protect him. It was frustrating, but they both agreed, Ichigo had to live.

"It is better this way... Without us, he can not fight. If he is powerless, they will not feel the need to kill him."

"And guess what else? It'll never stop raining then! Not. Ever! You can't even be sure that they won't kill him! We may still die, without ever seeing the sun again! I am not going to sit back and let that happen!" The hollow roared at the sky, then fired a cero in a wide arc, blasting the glass out of a dozen sky scrapers. The glass fell sideways, never to touch the ground.

"What if you succeed in waking him? What if he even hears your voice and regains his strength? He was beaten even with us in his hands. Vollständig and Bankai together were not enough to defeat Yhwach. He is the father of all Quincy. Our Bankai was nothing to him, and he was able to turn my own powers back on us. What more can we do besides allow Ichigo to rest?"

"Resurrección." The hollow said, calming slightly. "He needs only accept the last third of his power, and Yhwach will be nothing before us."

"He fears your power. He fears that if he uses it, he will lose himself again, as he did when he destroyed Ulquiorra." The old man shook his head.

"Yes, I do."

The two turned to see the orange haired man standing nearby.

"Ichigo, I did not expect to see you again, much less so soon." The old man looked over the man he existed to protect. "Orihime's work, I imagine."

"Yeah." Ichigo turned to his inner hollow. "He's right. I fear using your power... But you're right as well. I need to, if I want to protect everyone..."

"That is all you ever care about. Protecting others. You give little thought to the desires of either of us. You endanger yourself recklessly time and time again, against the old man's wishes. You ignore your potential and only grow as strong as you need to be to match your latest challenge, and even then, you always draw out more and more of your Shinigami powers, and rarely ever touch more than the tiniest fraction of my power..."

"And what is it you want, hollow? To steal my mind and body? To kill and destroy in a world that will hunt you down and destroy you?"

"I want a heart!" The hollow snarled and turned on Ichigo, who stepped back, startled. "Your body... That was a foolish idea... Even if I ruled the body and mind, we would still be two separate souls. I would still be a hollow. I would still be empty. When we merged to fight Aizen, I was complete! I was whole for the first time since I came into existence! That is what every hollow craves... To fill the emptiness and become whole... I want to become whole, again, King. I want you to merge with me. Whether you merge with the old man is irrelevant. He has a heart..."

"Merge... I would never be able to return to the living world again... Aizen's power was so great and terrible that his presence would render human souls into nothingness, and our fully merged soul was so powerful even he could not comprehend it..." Ichigo looked at the manifestation of his Quincy powers. "Can it be undone again?"

"Possibly... But not safely. You could lose us completely if you tried. Having part of your soul torn away is not something anyone is meant to experience."

"You want me to live..." He turned back to his hollow. "You want me to merge with you again... And I want to protect everyone..." He thought for a moment. "Fight with me... Fight with me in this war, and I will live. I will be able to protect everyone. And when I graduate from college, I will come to Soul Society permanently, and I will merge with you again."

"You swear this? Five years... I fight by your side for five years, help you win this war and protect those you love, and you will let me have a heart again?" The hollow asked quietly, almost not believing the words he was hearing.

"That's right. And you know I will never go back on my promise. Will you fight with me, Zangetsu?" Ichigo extended a hand to his colorless twin. For a moment, the hollow stared at the outstretched hand, then it grinned, taking it firmly and locking eyes with Ichigo.

"I will fight with you, Ichigo." His grin grew even larger. "And they will not know what hit them."

"Even with your combined strength, a good plan would not hurt." The old man said with amusement.

"Did you have something in mind?" The hollow asked.

"Actually, I have a plan. Orihime and Chad were able to free a few of the weaker Arrancar, but they also found out where the others were being kept. They would follow a hollow. I think rather than going straight for Soul Society, we attack Hueco Mundo instead. It will be less heavily defended. The nine days set down as the time frame for Yhwach's victory is almost up. They won't be expecting a sideways attack at the eleventh hour." Ichigo suggested. His companions nodded their agreement.

"The Visored would fight with you as well. A small army of Arrancar, Visored, and yourself might just be enough to topple the Quincy."

"There is one last thing... You are in your sealed state... How do I release you when I have recovered?"

Line -

Five figures slipped through the Garganta without so much as a whisper. Urahara had supported their plan completely. He would be going ahead of them to Soul Society to ensure the last of the Shinigami did not fall before their back up arrived. Orihime, Chad, Rukia, and Renji were all joining him.

The figures touched down on the desolate white sand that made up the majority of Hueco Mundo. Love, Hachi, Lisa, Hiyori, and Ichigo. They ducked behind a large dune and peaked over at the ruins of Las Noches. The walls were lined with dozens of Quincy, bows at the ready, Seele Schneiders hanging at their belts.

"Way to go, Baldy. What happened to 'There won't be many left to guard it, since they'll be focused on Soul Society.', Huh?" Hiyori growled.

"It doesn't make much of a difference at this point. This is our last card to play. If we fail, we're all dead, no matter how many Quincy are standing guard." Love pointed out.

"Can we do it, Ichigo?" Lisa asked. She didn't look worried, but her typical bored expression was gone as well. She looked alert... Maybe even excited. He let himself grin, and he felt his inner hollow's grin mirroring his own.

"Yes. Now, when we attack, we'll go in three teams. Lisa and I will break through their line. Hachi, you will get through and make your way straight for the chamber where Halibel is imprisoned. Hiyori and Love, you will watch his back and follow some distance behind him to draw the attention of anyone who might try to stop him. We'll remain outside and take on their front line, and hopefully draw their strongest fighters." Ichigo explained. The short girl immediately protested.

"I am the strongest next to you! I should be fighting on the front line!" The other Visored could not disagree.

"I know you are. That's why you're backing up Hachi. His mission is the most important. I would go myself, but I would only draw more attention to him. It is safest for me to be away from him, but they won't suspect you to be the next greatest threat." Ichigo watched her deflate and nod in agreement.

"What do we do once we free Halibel?" Hachi asked.

"Send her out to meet me, and continue to free any Arrancar you can find. Grimmjow, if he is still alive. If they can wield a sword, free them and send them to fight."

"Sounds simple enough. It is a good plan. I knew Urahara wouldn't have asked us to follow you unless he had faith in you." Lisa commented.

"Before we go..." Ichigo extended his hand, palm down, into the center of their group. Slowly, four other hands joined his. "I thought this was foolish the last time I was here, but we made it through, so it can't hurt."

"I thought this was going out of style a century ago..." Lisa smiled and looked around their small band. She stopped to focus on their leader. Ichigo Kurosaki. The man who had defeated Aizen. Human, Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy, all rolled into one. He wasn't like anyone else she had ever met. Well, maybe her own captain came close, once, but he had never had as much fire as this young man did. He was someone she could follow into battle with no hesitation. His voice, quiet, but strong and steady, drew her attention back to their hands joined in the center of their circle.

"Here, we prepare to enter the decisive battle. Have faith that our blades will not shatter. Have faith that our resolve will not waiver. And if our paths should diverge, we share a heart of iron. Swear, that even if the ground beneath our feet should be rent asunder, we will live, and return here, together." He looked at each one of them, his cocky grin spreading over his face once again. Without a word between them, all five sprang into action.

The charge was laughable, from the perspective of the Quincy. A fat man, who they thought might break into a roll, rather than a run, a skinny woman in a skirt that left little to the imagination, especially while running, a child with dirty blond hair, and man with bizarre hair and sunglasses even though it was night, and... Wait, was that Kurosaki?

As they drew within range of the Quincy's arrows, they split into their groups, and four of the five donned their masks, their riatsu spiking and darkening. Ichigo heard a voice cry out in his heart.

"Call my name, King! Ichigo! Call for me now!" His inner hollow cried out. In his inner world, the rain had stopped, and as the voice filled him with hope, the first rays of sunlight tore through the clouds.

"Protect and defend, Zangetsu!" Ichigo drew the blade from his back, feeling it change smoothly into the unique black cleaver that fit his hand perfectly. His riatsu spiked immediately, bringing him to the level of a strong captain. He waved a hand over his face and his mask appeared, accompanied by another spike, more than doubling his power. "Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!" The cleaver narrowed and the trailing cloth turned into a black chain that wrapped around his arm. His power grew by a factor of ten.

"Let me fight with you, King!" He heard the voice again, and he finally welcomed it. He drew upon the familiar, terrifying power he had only fallen in to on the rarest occasions. Now it did not overwhelm him, but lifted him up. His hair cascaded down his back. Horns arched toward the sky. Claws clutched the hilt of his blade in an iron grip. He saw his comrades faces twist with terror for an instant, afraid he had turned on them. It was nothing compared to their relief, nor to the terror of their enemies, when he unleashed a blast of red energy at the battlements of Las Noches.

Most of the Quincy had never seen a hollow stronger than a Gillian. Even fewer had actually fought one. They overtook Hueco Mundo in a surprise assault, knowing that a true confrontation with creatures who's essence was toxic to them would not have gone well. A small number of the generals had killed Adjuchas from a distance with arrows of light in the assault. Not one had ever come face to face with a true Vasto Lorde. None were prepared for the incredible power of the orange haired shinigami to spike by a factor of ten once again. The power of 200 strong captains behind a Cero... No one would ever blame those who took their last opportunity to turn and run in terror.

"Woah..." Lisa came to a stop, watching in awe as the Shinigami she had watched transform into a Vasto Lorde wiped out half of the enemy force in once earth shaking blast. She felt the reverberation of the Cero in her bones, and her inner hollow, subjugated and confined to a locked room in her mind, shuddered with fear. The girl, Orihime, had told them the story about how Ichigo had been on the edge of death in Hueco Mundo, but had turned into a powerful hollow and defeated the fourth Espada. From what she understood, the Espada has been wiping the floor with Ichigo until that moment. Then, he had been completely outclassed. Unable to so much as touch the monster Ichigo held in check every day.

Ichigo took a moment to admit to himself, he liked the way he felt. Before, his human mind had been on the verge of death, or overwhelmed by the atmosphere of hell. Now, he was clear headed and the power rippling through him left him with an electrical feeling in his pale skin. He bent his head and allowed his instincts to guide him as he fired a rapid series of Balas at the scrambling Quincy on the remnants of the wall.

He grinned beneath his mask as he saw his allies cheering and rushing forward without fear. He drew the power of his Bankai to the tips of his horns and used it to compress and refine the growing tempest of energy. He poured all he had into the glowing sphere of red. The ground around his feet vibrated until cracks appeared in the packed stone and the white sand began to form ripples like a lake frozen in the instant after a stone had plunged in.

He was vaguely aware of his allies calling up shields of Kidou simply to stand up under the weight of his riatsu. He growled and drew up the familiar glow of his Quincy powers and sent tendrils of the reluctant energy into the reservoir. It tried to pull free at first, but he forced it to intertwine with the structure he had forced the energy to take on, binding it together. With the addition of Yhwach's own powers, the Quincy's shields would not even slow down the attack.

When the ground felt like it may give way beneath him, he made his move.

The Quincy had been bracing for their last instant. They knew that no amount of hardened blood would save them. They could feel the pulsing energy even at such a great distance. They could see it warping the air around him. Even his allies were taking cover. Just when they thought he was going to release the monstrous Cero, he vanished. A crackle of static, and the nightmarish hollow stood there, close enough to count the teeth on his mask. The Cero tore down the battlements in a far narrower beam than before, so intense that the fragments of their father's soul could not escape.

Below, recovering from both their elation and terror at Ichigo's transformation, Hiyori and Love pushed Hachi back into action. Thanks to Ichigo's last attack, the entire front wall of Las Noches was crumbling above them, slowing their progress. On the other hand, their was not a single Quincy standing in their way.

At the center of the maze of hallways, they found their target, chained and gagged. Tier Halibel. They separated, Hiyori and Love each taking a side passage as Hachi went to work freeing the ruler of Hueco Mundo. As soon as her mouth was free, she looked up at her rescuer.

"The riatsu outside... Who is it?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki. The man who defeated Aizen after he cut you down. He needs your help. We all do. If we do not defeat the Quincy in Soul Society, Shinigami and Hollows alike will be wiped out." Hachi carefully broke through the barriers containing the powerful Arrancar.

"Ichigo... He was a Shingami, wasn't he? This is the riatsu of a Hollow... One that puts even Vasto Lorde to shame... Starrk and Barragan together would not hold a candle to this... What help can I be to such a creature?" Tier rubbed her wrists as the shackles fell free.

"Soul Society is on the edge of collapse and the Quincy now outnumber the Gotei 13... He could not release this power their without wiping out many he cares about. He needs an army to turn back the Quincy invasion."

"And an army he's got!" A fierce shout declared from one of the hallways. Grimmjow stood, sword in hand, with at least fifty Arrancar at his back. Beside him, smirking proudly, was Hiyori. Love came running from the opposite direction with another large group.

"Will you declare war on the Quincy and ally yourself with the Shinigami? You are the ruler of Hueco Mundo..." Hachi asked quietly.

"Hueco Mundo is ruled by the Hollow that the others will follow, and Hollows follow strength. I am no longer their ruler. Ichigo is the most powerful Hollow in all of Hueco Mundo. We fight for him, no matter the ally or enemy that entails." Tier drew her own short blade. "Lead the way."

Line -

"It is the ninth day... And victory has come as predicted." Yhwach smiled calmly to himself as he watched the last resistance make their stand on the Sokyoku Hill. It was truly admirable. They had regained some footing when Urahara and his band had arrived, but their retreat had begun almost immediately afterward. Now they formed a ring around the spot where the great execution spear had once stood.

"Why don't they lay down their weapons and surrender? Even Kurosaki has been defeated. They must know all hope is lost, why continue wasting their lives to defend a symbolic hill?" One of his advisors wondered aloud. For a moment, Yhwach felt a twinge of unease. It _was_ illogical... They were forming a ring around a completely meaningless piece of ground... Unless it wasn't meaningless.

He had no time to call for his troops to regroup before the air was torn open and a hundred Arrancar charged between the ranks of Shinigami and into his men, slaughtering them mercilessly. The sudden attack turned their advance back and drove them down the hill, allowing the healers to immediately go to work on the Shinigami who had held their last line.

The Garganta closed, and where it had been, stood Ichigo. Yhwach growled angrily. His victory had come, as the prophecy had said, in nine days precisely. Now, he stood to lose everything in less than a day... He stumbled back as if he'd been struck. Hours... Nine hours... It wasn't possible. He pulled a silver watch from his cloak. It was ten at night... By dawn, he would either have his victory on the tenth day, or have been killed in nine hours.

"Do not let them have an instant to regroup! Kill the Arrancar first! The semi hollows will be deadly to you at close range, use your bows!" He called to his commanders. The orders were issued. He set off for the orange haired man who he had spared not long ago. He would not do so again.

His stomach twisted as if he had stepped off a ledge unexpectedly. He lurched to a stop as he blinked in confusion. The battle had changed. His men lay scattered and defeated across the hill. Only a handful still fought, and they were falling one by one. The others had retreated, but he had given no such command. Terror gripped him when he was the first rays of dawn lighting the sky.

"Aizen..." He stared at the First Division, under which the dangerous prisoner still sat, bound and helpless. Except, somehow, he wasn't. He still had some power of hypnosis... He had tampered with the man's perception of time once again.

"You're finished. Call them off and no one else has to die." With a crackle of Sonido, a black blade was pressed to his neck. He tried to twist it away as easily as he had before, but his hand burned at the contact. "Zangetsu doesn't like you touching him."

"You embraced your hollow side... I expected you to resist to the bitter end... I underestimated you, Ichigo Kurosaki." He watched a feral, blue haired panther tear the throat out of one of his commanders. "My men will die fighting... I will never call them off."

"I will." Uryu said coldly as he slid the paper thin blade of a Seele Schneider between Yhwach's ribs and into his heart. "My father made this blade specifically for you. It uses only pure hollow Reishi. You will not recover from this. Not even in nine thousand years."

"Traitor..."

"Loyalty is required before you can betray someone. Were you truly foolish enough to believe I would be loyal to the man who is responsible for my mother's death?" Uryu twisted the blade and withdrew it. "Quincy! Surrender immediately! I command you, stop fighting and lay down your weapons! The war is over!"

The Quincy took no further prompting to save their lives. The cheers from the Arrancar, Visored, and Shingami echoed far and wide. Deep below ground, Aizen smiled. Everything had gone just as planned.


	41. Chapter 41

"Will he live?" Rukia asked quietly, kneeling beside the orange haired hero in the basement of Urahara's shop. The room was lit by the glow of Orihime's powers as she worked to heal the unconscious man.

"I don't know... His body is recovering, but his mind... I can't feel his spirit. I'm doing all I can..." Orihime worked diligently, ignoring the stream of tears running down her own cheeks. Her abilities had improved, but she still had limits. She just hoped he was not beyond them.

"Ichigo... Please wake up..." The short shinigami held his hand tightly as she looked around her injured friends. Chad and Renji lay a few feet away, each wrapped in bandages and breathing weakly. "We need you..."

In a sideways world filled with towers of steel and glass, two figures stood in the pouring rain, while a third lay between them.

"Ichigo. Wake up." The old man said calmly. He bent down and slid a hand under Ichigo's shoulder, shaking him gently.

"King! Get your ass moving!" The hollow howled, kicking his twin's leg, then helping the old man lift him to his feet.

Slowly, his eyes flickered open. He wavered for a moment under the support of the two manifestations, then steadied himself between them.

"Why am I here? I need to be out there fighting!"

"The battle is over, Ichigo... You lost. Soul Society is on the verge of collapse. The Quincy have won." The old man said sadly.

"No... Rukia?"

"She still lives. Your friends escaped, and Orihime is healing your body now. Renji and Chad are in poor condition, but they still breathe as well." The manifestation of his Quincy powers looked up at the sky. "The remainder of the Gotei 13 will be dead by dawn..."

"I failed..." Ichigo sat heavily on the window, head in his hands. He remembered Yhwach turning his Quincy powers back on him. He remembered his Bankai being driven into the ground as if he were a child attacking a giant. It had been useless. All his power and strength and speed, and he had not stood a chance...

"We failed." The old man agreed sadly. He had failed to protect Ichigo. That had been his reason for being since the boy's birth. His mother had passed on her desire to protect in the form of her powers, but he had been helpless before his creator. "I never meant for my powers to betray you..."

"It's not your fault... He's the sealed king of the Quincy. His powers obey him even if they do not want to. I don't blame you... It's my fault. I should have been stronger..."

"You _are_ stronger! Yhwach may be his king, but the only king I recognize is you! You never once let me fight with you! You never once leaned on me in your battle! You never once turned to me for strength that I would have happily given!" The hollow roared at him, inches from his face as he howled with rage over the growing storm.

"I couldn't risk you taking my body and hurting those I care about!" Ichigo growled back.

"Idiot! You fool! Do you not understand yet? The old man is from your mother! He lives to protect you, no matter what the cost! I am from your father! I live to make you strong! If that means making you hate me, or fear me, or turn away from me, so be it! But neither of us can ever hurt you, King!" The hollow clenched its fists in its white hair in frustration. "How can you be so stupid?"

"The other Visored... Their hollows all tried to kill them..."

"You are not a Visored! Aizen knew that from the moment you were born! Why do you think he took interest in you? You are one of a kind. A creature beyond hollow and shinigami. Not simply one that has gained the powers of the other, but a creature born of both! The Visored had to fight against their inner hollows because they came from outside to conquer their souls. I am part of you!"

"I was a fool..." Ichigo stood and faced his hollow eye to eye. "You want to make me strong... Just like my father. You told me whatever lie you had to in order to drive me to become stronger... And I was an idiot and didn't realize the truth when it mattered most... I accepted you as a part of myself, but I didn't understand what that meant."

"So what now, King?"

"Now... Is it really too late?" Ichigo asked. His manifestations shared a look. Then, the hollow shook its head.

"Not quite. Their is one last hope... But you would have to trust me completely. You would have to accept all of yourself. Just like you did when you fought Aizen. Only this time, rather than striking with the entirety of your Shinigami powers, you will use my power."

"You mean... Like when I killed Ulquiorra?" Ichigo faltered. It was one of his worst memories. Not only because of the horrors it contained, but because of how it had affected his friends.

"Yes... But it will be different this time. You won't lose yourself. This time, you will be consciously using my power. Before, neither of us was in control." The hollow said. He turned to the old man. "Stop glaring at me."

"You are putting him in harms way again. Perhaps with your power he _could_ defeat Yhwach. But you are forgetting the other hundreds of Quincy that have overrun Soul Society. If he tried to use enough power to destroy them all, he would annihilate all of Seireitei and half the Rukongai. The remaining forces of the Gotei 13 don't have the strength to back him."

"We need an army." The hollow agreed. "That's why we're going to reconquer Hueco Mundo, not Soul Society. There are still dozens of Arrancar and Menos class Hollows imprisoned there. It will be less heavily guarded as well. They won't be prepared for a sideways attack at the eleventh hour."

"I do not like this idea... But I will concede, it is a good plan. And... It is the only hope of Soul Society." The old man glared at the hollow. "He can not use us both at once. Not when either of us are fully released. He will be in your hands. Protect him."

"Of course." The hollow smirked, then turned back to Ichigo. "King... There is one thing I desire..."

"What is it? Do you want to have control of my body part of the time?" Ichigo asked defensively. The hollow shook its head.

"When everything is finished... When you come to Soul Society for good, and won't be spending all of your time in the living world... I want us to merge our souls again. Let the old man remain here in your mind to guide you. He has a lot more wisdom than I do. I will be your blade and strength..."

"Why? Why would you want that?" Ichigo was curious now. It was not the kind of request he expected of his dark side.

"Because, for that brief time when we were one, I had a heart. I wasn't hollow anymore... I was what every hollow aches for at the very core of our being... I want to feel that way again. For that, I will protect you and all those you love. For that, King, I will fight with you." The hollow extended his pale hand to his twin. After a moment, Ichigo took it and held it tightly.

"Then we will fight together. And in five years, I will graduate from college, and I will move to Soul Society where my power can do no harm to those around me. Then, we will merge again." Ichigo grinned. "So... We're going to reconquer Hueco Mundo, huh?" His twin grinned back.

Outside, in the Urahara Shop, Orihime had just finished healing Renji and moved to work on Chad. The red head came to sit next to his childhood friend and felt a twinge of jealousy as he saw her fingers intertwined with the human's. He sighed and shook his head. He would have been bitter, if he thought for one instant she had fallen for Ichigo instead of him because of his power. But he knew better. She had loved him even when he was completely powerless. She had spent weeks in the living world before he had been forced to drag her back and revoke her permit. She had slept in his closet, or occasionally on the bed next to him. She had never let Kon or his sisters tell him, but she had been there as long as she could.

"He'll pull through. I've never met a man tougher or more stubborn than him." Renji put a comforting hand on Rukia's shoulder. She smiled up at him.

"You're right about that..." She looked down at him. "But he has never been beaten this badly before... He wasn't able to protect us, and I don't know if he'll be able to handle that... Even his Zanpakuto reverted to its sealed state... It has not done that once since he released it. Not even when he lost his powers for a year and a half..." She ran her fingers over the hilt of the large sword she had not seen since she had been taken from the living world for her execution.

"He survived where no one else would have. He was at least able to drive the Quincy out of the Soul King's palace and reseal the gate. Maybe they have not broken through again yet..." He knew it was a small hope, if any at all.

"What if he doesn't recover, Renji?" Rukai tensed at her own words. Renji had no response for her. He knew, if the human died, it would destroy her. It would be worse than when Kaien had died.

They sat there for a while, even after the light from Orihime's powers winked out and Chad's breathing evened out into sleep. Rukia had almost fallen asleep when she felt the fingers between hers stir. She was up in an instant, casting a weak kidou out into the basement for light.

"Ichigo!" She all but threw herself on him as his eyes flickered open and rather than the look of despair she had been expecting, she had received his usual cocky grin.

"Rukia!" He wrapped his arms around her tightly, then looked around the room. Renji and Orihime were both looking relieved and slightly jealous. Chad was yawning and sitting up. "I have a plan."

"And its about time, too." From the stairs, Kisuke Urahara was watching them from beneath his bucket hat. "Let me guess. You want me to assemble the Visored?"

"How do you do that?" Ichigo stared in shock at his mentor. He was still not used to how well the man could seem to read his every thought.

"They're waiting upstairs." Urahara ignored the question and looked around the others inhabiting his basement. "I'm sure the rest of you will want to help as well, despite your conditions?"

"Of course!" Orihime jumped to her feet, followed immediately by the others. "We could never sit by and let Ichigo fight when we could help him!"

"I figured as much. Lets go upstairs so he only has to explain this fiasco he's cooked up once." Urahara turned and led the way into the back room of his shop, where the four Visored had gathered. Ichigo wondered if they would really follow him.

"Alright, Ichigo. Tell us your plan. We're with you." Rukia squeezed his hand once, then went to sit with the others, facing him attentively. He swallows nervously.

"Alright... Well... Since the Quincy believe they will be victorious in a total of nine days, and we are already in to the ninth morning, they will be focused solely on wiping out the last of the resistance in Soul Society, and they will have turned their attention away from Hueco Mundo. I propose that the Visored and myself launch a surprise attack on the remaining defenses in Hueco Mundo and free as many of the Arrancar and Menos class Hollows as possible. If we can convince Halibel to fight with us, the others will follow her as the ruler of Hueco Mundo. With them on our side, we may be able to turn back the Quincy invasion, even at this point. Hollows are toxic to Quincy. They only took Hueco Mundo because they attacked without warning and caught them by surprise. In a direct fight, they would not fair so well." Ichigo felt less anxious now. He saw some looks of concern, and a few looks of hope in the small group.

"What if we're too late? Have we received any news from Soul Society recently?" Love asked.

"At sunrise, we received word that many were in critical condition, but thanks to the efforts of the Fourth Division, no more captains or lieutenants have fallen since our departure. However, the casualties among the seated officers is growing by the day. They are strong enough to draw attention, but not enough to defeat their enemies. They will not last another day. They plan to make a final stand at sundown on Sokyoku hill." Urahara reported gravely.

"How will we get to Hueco Mundo? Have you made another Garganta yet?" Hachi turned to his former captain's friend as well. Urahara smirked and shook his head.

"Ichigo will take care of that."

"Ichigo? How the hell is he supposed to do that? You invented the tech to open a Garganta without a hollow! Is he supposed to whip one up with his chemistry set?" Hiyori shouted at her former captain.

"Ichigo? There's more to this plan, isn't there?" Rukia asked hesitantly. Reluctantly, he nodded.

"I will be using my Hollow side. Completely. I'll be able to open a Garganta, just like a hollow. I should have used my hollow powers before, then maybe we would not be on our last leg..." Ichigo looked away from his friends.

"You... You're going to turn into a hollow... like you did in Hueco Mundo?" Orihime asked, shaking slightly.

"Yes. I am. That's why only the Visored are coming with me. The rest of you will go with Hat-N-Clogs to Soul Society and reinforce the last resistance there. We'll come through at the top of Sokyoku hill as soon as we accomplish our mission. Just make sure we're not too late."

"You can count on us, Ichigo." Chad said calmly. He turned to Orihime. "He knows what he's doing. We have to trust him and do our part."

"I know... I know. Alright. Let go!" Orihime smiled brightly. She trusted him.

"So, will you guys follow me?" Ichigo turned to the four Visored.

"Can't let you go screwing this up, can we?" Hiyori scowled at him.

"I have yet to see you fail when you have decided to succeed. I will lend you my assistance as well." Hatch said.

"I'm in. Shinji believes in you. That's enough for me." Love added.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Lisa smirked at him. "Lead the way, Ichigo."

"Alright. Lets go conquer the world of hollows!" Ichigo reached out on hand and pulled at his powers instinctively. The air tore apart before him and a black pathway appeared in front of them. He hesitated and turned back, finding Rukia's eyes. "I'll be there. Don't you dare die, Rukia. Renji! Chad! Urahara! Keep them safe for me, until I get there." With that, he flashed into the opening, followed closely by his small band of warriors.

They arrived in Hueco Mundo moments later, hidden behind a dune of white sand and desolate trees. Hiyori peaked over the top and then dropped back down, grinding her teeth.

"What was that you said about them turning their attention away from Hueco Mundo?! There are probably a hundred Quincy here! Las Noches is a fortress! How are we supposed to get in?!"

"I'll make an opening, then you and I will stay out front and keep them busy while Love and Lisa get Hachi in to free the Arrancar. His Kidou should be enough to undo anything the Quincy have in place to contain them." Ichigo said.

"You are going to make an opening? How?" Lisa asked. Ichigo grimaced.

"Don't worry about that. Just be ready to move when things go to hell." He extended a hand into the middle of their circle. "This seemed laughable before, but we all pulled through. Maybe there is some merit to it."

"I thought this was going out of style a century ago... My captain was one of the last to keep that tradition." Lisa smirked and added her hand. The others followed.

"Now, we prepare to enter the decisive battle. Have faith that our blades will not shatter. Have faith that our resolve will not waiver. And if our paths should diverge, we share a heart of iron. Swear, that even if the ground beneath our feet should be rent asunder, we will live, and return here, together." Ichigo took a heartbeat to grin at his allies, then he was off.

He flashed over the hill and began to run across the sand toward the walls of Las Noches. Lisa shook her head.

"He's crazy... I like it."

The Quincy manning the battlements could not believe what they were seeing. A single man, Ichigo Kurosaki, no less, was running toward them. Alone. They drew their bows and began summoning reishi from the air to fuel their weapons.

As he felt the hard sand pounding against his feet, Ichigo reached for his Zanpakuto. Inside his head, he heard familiar words coming from a familiar voice, but it was not the voice that had spoken them before.

"Cast off your fear! Look forward! Go forward! Never stand still! Retreat and you will age! Hesitate and you will die! Now, shout out my name!" The doubled tones of his inner hollow called to him with the same words the old man had used so long ago. "Call for me, King! Call for me now, Ichigo!"

"Protect and defend, Zangetsu!" Ichigo shouted as he drew the blade. He felt it change, reforming from the large katana into the powerful black cleaver. He felt his riatsu surge. As he was now, he stood equal to a powerful captain. Equal to a member of the Zero Division. But it was not enough. "Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!" His power exploded around him, escalating by a factor of ten. Still not enough... He pulled a hand across his face, summoning the familiar weight of his mask. His riatsu darkened and doubled again. He now charged at them with four times the strength of the Zero Division, and they were beginning to falter.

He came to a stop halfway between the dune hiding his allies and the wall protecting his enemies. He retreated into his inner world as the first Light Arrows dissolved into his blazing riatsu. He stood on the side of a skyscraper, face to face with his hollow.

"Zangetsu... Its time." He extending his hand. To their side, the rain began to thin and the first rays of sunlight tore through the clouds. "Fight with me."

"Gladly, my king."

Many Quincy turned and ran then. Even before they saw the masked shinigami's hair growing down his back and long horns twisting toward the endless night sky. Razor sharp claws gripped the hilt of his Zanpakuto as he bent his head. Between the tips of his horns, a glowing sphere of red light began to grow.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He had felt his riatsu skyrocket once again, ten times what it had been. His instinct sharpened and his body felt light and powerful. And this time, he was completely in control. He grinned beneath the mask. _Thanks, Zangetsu._ He concentrated and forced the more and more of his energy into the coalescing tempest between his horns. The ground beneath his feet was rippling under his spiritual pressure.

Behind their meager shelter, the Visored could only stare in wonder and terror at the creature standing before them. They watched as the hardened sand around him began to take on the form of ripples in a frozen pond. They felt the energy in their bones, like anticipation gone wild. On the walls of Las Noches, the Quincy who had not fled were firing arrow after arrow at him, but none made contact. As they came withing the immense aura of his power, they were broken down and forced into the ball of energy.

"What is he? I have never seen a hollow so powerful..." Hachi wondered aloud.

"Vasto Lorde... A true Vasto Lorde... This is what a hollow can become if it is allowed to consume enough powerful souls... And it is sustained by Ichigo's soul... He defeated that and kept it at bay during our training with him. He is incredible..." Lisa clutched her legs to resist the urge to run. He inner hollow, crushed and subjugated for years, was screaming in terror for her to flee.

"I'm glad he's on our side." Love whispered in awe.

Hiyori could not summon the strength to speak. This was the creature she had drawn out once before. The thing that had nearly torn her head from her shoulders. She had been a fool. She had actually antagonized this thing!

Ichigo set his feet, the claws of his feet digging into stone and anchoring him in place as he felt his riatsu reach its peak. He forced his Quincy powers to the tips of his horns, repelling his hollow energy and compressing it into a tight sphere. Then, when the ground around him was ready to give way, he released it.

The Cero obliterated the line of Quincy still standing on the walls of Las Noches. An instant later, a rapid series of Balas tore open the wall in a dozen places. Ichigo threw back his head and roared to the sky, feeling Zangetsu's power coursing through him. The hollow in his soul was laughing. Not his usual mad cackle, but true joy. Ichigo had finally risen to his potential. There was nothing that could stand in their way.

The Visored knew it was their moment to act. Hiyori ran forward and took her place next to Ichigo, giving him one look of awe and fear before focusing on the dozens of Quincy charging them, weapons in hand. A crackle of static, and Ichigo was already at their front lines. Terrified by the sudden arrival of the hollow, they scattered. Hiyori wasted no time as she charged in to them as well, cutting down anyone who came within reach.

Lisa and Love ran side by side in front of Hachi, masks already drawn over their faces. The few Quicny who still blocked their path did not stand a chance.

It took them precious minutes to navigate the maze of hallways and reach the central prison where Tier Halibel knelt, bound in chains. Hachi began a series of incantations, each one ending with a flash of light and the clatter of chains falling to the stone floor.

"Halibel, ruler of Hueco Mundo, lend us your strength and the strength of those who follow you. Come to the aid of Soul Society and help us turn back the Quincy invasion, or Shinigami and Hollow alike will be slaughtered!" Hachi pleaded as the last chains fell away and the Arrancar collapsed onto her hands and knees.

"Hollows follow strength... I am no longer the ruler of Hueco Mundo. Their is a mighty Hollow outside right now. Compared to that inferno I am nothing more than a candle." Halibel looked up and then bowed her head. "You have my thanks, though. For freeing me. The one outside... I recognize this riatsu... Who is it?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Kurosaki? The one who defeated Aizen?" Halibel's eyes widened. "Then rest assured, I will fight for him to my last breath!"

"So will we!" From the doorway, a new voice called. Hachi turned and saw no less than fifty Arrancar following Lisa out of a side passage. At her side, grinning, sword in hand, was a feral looking man with blue hair.

"I will always stand beside Ichigo!" From the other hall, following Love, was another battalion of Arrancar, led by a green haired woman.

"Nelliel. Grimmjow. Brothers and sisters... Let us lend our strength to the new lord of Hueco Mundo!" Halibel rose to her feet and turned to face the doorway the Visored had entered through. Grimmjow and Nelliel came to stand next to her, and the three powerful Arrancar fired their collective Ceros at the labyrinth of hallways and dead ends, tearing a direct path to the sands of Hueco Mundo.

In Soul Society, on Sokyoku Hill, by the light of the setting sun, a small group of Shinigami fought against the seemingly endless army of Quincy.

Kyoraku and Ukitake fought back to back, usual carefree smiles discarded for grim frowns, stained with blood. Soifon and her idol acted as relief for the weary soldiers, jumping in when they could to make sure an allies death meant the death of an enemy as well. Shinji fought alone, away from the group, the only one able to maintain his senses under the influence of his Zanpakuto's reversed world. Nevertheless, arrows tore through him frequently, as with enough numbers, luck was on the side of the Quincy.

Byakuya and Rukia fought together, the latter's icy bankai protecting them from anything that got too close, while the former's shredded anything that dared step within reach. Renji fought just outside their radius, luring his own opponents within range of the flower petals of his captain.

Kenpachi stood like a beakon, his riatsu burning up arrows of light and Nozarashi tearing through any barrier to kill the next Quincy. His laughter would ring out occasionally when an arrow from a particularly powerful Quincy would wound him, and he would race off to challenge the unlucky offender. Ikkaku and Yumichika fought side by side for once, neither caring about interfering with the others battle, so long as they could protect each other. They had only stopped fighting long enough for a healer to stop their blood loss. Yachiru followed in Kenpachi's wake, her unavoidable blade cutting down those who survived after they were defeated.

Mayuri and Nemu were using every trick they had at their disposal to neutralize the effects of the most powerful Quincy.

Urahara and Tessai fired high level Kidou spells as fast as they could recite the full incantations, while Ururu and Jinta took care of anything in between.

They had formed a rough ring around the remains of what had once been the alter for ritual executions. Now it stood as two dark pillars, their tops reaching in vain for each other. Forever split in two by an orange haired hero who stormed the gates of heaven and fought through the armies of hell to save an innocent girl.

Yhwach observed the field from a suspended platform of reishi, Uryu at his side. As soon as these last troublesome pests were dealt with, he would return his attention to the Soul King.

"The fools... They plan to die fighting, defending a meaningless symbol. There are far more sensible places to make a last stand. Pathetic that soldiers would sacrifice the potential for lighter casualties for the sake of sentimentality." He narrowed his eyes as he watched Chad's fist send a Quincy hurtling over the heads of the ring and back in to the crowd. He and Orihime were efficiently rejecting anyone who made it past the ring... Was it to keep their allies safe from being stabbed in the back, or was it something more? "Pull back and regroup! Everyone, regroup!" They had been spread too thin... If the Shinigami had one last card to play...

His army only had time to receive his command and falter in their assault before the air was torn open. One hundred Arrancar and four Visored poured out onto the field, rushing between the ranks of the ring of Shinigami and crashing into the front line of Quincy with incredible ferocity. Behind them, stepping through the closing garganta and immediately fixing its eyes on Yhwach, came an orange haired Vasto Lorde.

"Uryu! Kill him!" The words had barely left the Sealed King's mouth when a crackle of static caused him to turn. A clawed hand closed around his throat as the other shattered the blade he had yet to raise in his defense.

Uryu stumbled back as the memories of being tossed around like a helpless kitten by the very same creature came flooding back with all the vividness of the world around him.

"So... My gamble did not pay off... I was certain you would die before you used your hollow powers willingly... At least I shall die at the hands of the most powerful being in all of Soul Society..." Yhwach smirked as he felt the claws digging into his neck. It would be a trivial matter for the monster to tear his head from his shoulders. Instead, he felt a stinging pain just under his left shoulder blade. Then, his chest erupted in agony. He threw his head back and screamed.

"You deserve no such honor. You will die at the hands of a Quincy like yourself. My grandfather left me this Selee Shneider. It is special. Fueled only by the reishi of Hollow masks. You will not awaken in nine hundred years, nor nine thousand. A hundred million life times may pass in this world, but you will never live again. You will suffer the very worst fate any soul can suffer." Uryu stood behind him, teeth clenched as the toxic riatsu of his friend and his own weapon began taking its toll on his body.

"Traitor!" Yhwach howled.

"Traitor? Loyalty is required before one can betray someone. You were surely not foolish enough to believe, that even with your grip on my mind and soul, that I would ever be loyal to the man who caused my mother's death? If so, then you are not even worthy of dying by my hand. You are nothing but a fool." Uryu withdrew the paper thin blade of spirit particles and tossed it aside, wincing at the burn it had created on his palm.

Ichigo reached up and gripped one of his horns, then tore his mask in a swift motion. It dissolved into reishi as his hair melted back to its normal length. His claws retracted and his skin tanned as the gaping hole in his chest closed.

"I could have devoured your soul, but you would have just been reincarnated when I finally died. I will pass a far worse judgment on you." Ichigo lifted his Zanpakuto and pressed the hilt to the panicked man's forehead. "Konsou."

Uryu understood just in time to leap to the side as the world around them became silent. Then they could hear screams. Tortured, agonized, wails of desperation and remorse. The air before them cracked, and the gates of hell swung open. A monstrous hand extended and closed as Ichigo's opened. Yhwach clawed at the air weakly as he was dragged, body and soul, into the inferno of eternal torment.

"I hoped I would never see that side of you again, Kurosaki." Uryu straightened his glasses, forcing himself not allow his horror or elation show on his face. "I... I am sorry for my part in what he did... I did not realize how tight his grip on me would become once I allowed him to mark me as his successor..."

"I know. It's alright." Ichigo extended his hand to his friend, smiling calmly. Uryu took it, then turned to the scattered remnants of the Quincy army.

"Stop! Yhwach is dead, and I am your king! I order you all, every Quincy that stands, fight no more! The war is over!" Uryu shouted. At first there was no reaction, then bows and blades began to fall as less than two hundred remaining Quincy lifted their empty hands to the sky.


	42. Chapter 42

_Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Captain Commander of the First Division._

 _Chojiro Sasakibe, Lieutenant of the First Division._

 _Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Captain of the Third Division._

 _Retsu Unohana, Captain of the Fourth Division_

 _Kensei Muguruma, Captain of the Ninth Division._

The graves stretched for hundreds of yards. Each one carved with care by the remaining members of their division. Each one visited almost daily by those who were left alive at the end of the bloodiest war in the history of Soul Society. The Thousand Year Blood War. That was what it was being called. No other name could bring the scale of the horror to life so well. A thousand years of hatred had caused this bloodshed. A thousand years of hatred that could have been avoided, if only one side or the other had been willing to compromise.

"Its disgusting... We did this. Quincy and Shinigami... We both claim to be the side of justice, but it was thanks to the Hollows that the war came to an end when it did..." Uryu sighed as he stared down at the grave nearest him. His mother, at the head of a long field of graves for his own people. "And now, they lay side by side. In a few million years, a person walking by might think they had been friends, not bitter enemies... Strange how things appear from a distance."

"Strange indeed... Maybe we are too quick to judge friend and foe... A little patience and little understanding would have spared many lives. And not just Shinigami and Quincy... I think the Arrancar would have accepted a hand of friendship, if we had offered it before Aizen. It's a shame... The stubbornness of old men, set in their ways. Eons of tradition that only leads to meaningless conflict... But unless the young and strong make a stand for what is right, nothing will ever change. It does no good to bemoan the state of things if one has not the courage to see them changed." Kisuke Urahara said quietly. Ururu and Jinta had both been badly wounded during the confusion at the end of the battle. It was still unclear if they would recover, even under the care of Orihime. The former captain had already chosen where they would be buried. A hilltop with a single tree. Ururu on the west, were the sun would set, and Jinta on the east, where it would rise in the morning.

"Ichigo has already changed more than I ever thought could be changed... He's become a great man. Hard to believe he was just an idiot punk less than two years ago... But it can't all be left to him... He has done his part... He has sacrificed and saved more lives than anyone could have asked of one man. And it will take cooperation to make peace... There are rebel Sternritter who have already turned their back on me. They swear they will not rest until they see Yhwach's goal achieved. There are Shinigami who still burn with hatred for the Quincy who cut down their loved ones. The Arrancar are not without the minority who still curse the Shingami who hunted them. None of them alone can stop the hatred..."

"Then maybe they shouldn't try to do it alone. None are alone in their desire for peace. The solution, I think, is to step back, like the traveler in a million years, and see things from a distance. Together. Shinigami, Quincy, Arrancar, Visored. If even one or two of each truly wanted peace, and were willing to seek it side by side with those who were once their enemies, just think what could be accomplished."

"Urahara... You really are the greatest mind in Seireitei. A division of delegates of each faction, dedicated to peace... It could work... Ambassadors. Ambassadors for change. We could call it the Delta Division. That is the scientific symbol for change, is it not?" Uryu turned to the blonde man. Urahara smiled sadly.

"That it is, Quincy King. The Delta Division. For peace... So no one else has to die for the hatred of stubborn fools with power... I would like to serve as a representative for the Shinigami. I don't think I could stomach being a soldier again, anyway. This way, I can do more than sit on the sidelines and try to pull the strings of fate."

"Yes. You should serve as a representative of the Shinigami. And for the Quincy... I will ask my father to take my place. I stood beside Yhwach. Even with the best intentions, I have no right to speak out against hatred and war. Nelliel, of the Arrancar would be a wise choice. And of the Visored, who would you recommend?"

"Love or Hachi. Both are level headed and wise enough to set aside their own bitterness for the sake of peace. Hachi may have an edge in wisdom, but no one would compare to Love's dedication."

"Love, then. Dedication will be vital if this is to succeed. Ryuken, Love, Nelliel, and yourself. Between the four of you, maybe things will change."

"Yeah. Maybe they will." Urahara looked toward the Seireitei and smiled brightly for the first time since the war had ended. "They're awake!" He flashed away toward the Fourth Division, leaving Uryu alone with his thoughts.

"Grandfather, forgive me for my foolish and shameful behavior... But I'm going to make up for it. Peace between Quincy and Shinigami... It is what you dreamed of. I'm going to see that dream made real." He knelt at the grave of his mother and drew the Seele Shneider he had used to avenge her. "I swear, Mother, this was the last life I will ever take. From this day forward, I will dedicate my life to bringing peace. I will take up Ichigo's cause to protect. I will bring pride back to the Quincy."

"I'm already proud of you, Uryu."

The Quincy jumped and turned, relaxing when he saw Orihime had joined him on the hill overlooking the expanse of graves. She stepped forward and took the weapon in her hand and then lay it on the top of the stone.

"Orihime... I don't deserve your pride... I don't deserve your forgiveness or your kindness... I deserve nothing more than a stone here beside those who's lives I should have saved."

"Uryu!" She shouted, slapping him hard enough to knock his glasses from his face. "Don't you ever say that again! You are a good man, and I won't let someone I love think so horribly of themselves!"

"Someone you love?" Uryu looked up at her as he reached for his glasses, no longer caring about the stinging in his cheek. She blushed and looked away.

"Yes... Someone I love..."

Line -

Inside the Fourth Division, the atmosphere was a mix of the worry of those who were still waiting for their friends and family to awaken, and the joy of those who were able to hold those dearest to them once again. Urahara was hugging Jinta with one arm, ignoring the grumbled complaints, and teasing Ururu's bangs with his other hand.

A few beds away, The Kurosaki family sat between two beds. On one, Rukia sat propped up. Her wounds mostly healed. Now it was only mandatory bed rest, mostly at the urging of her brother. On the other, a white haired boy, who looked like little more than a child. Rangiku returned with another blanket, draping it over her captain and sitting next to her former captain. Isshin and Yuzu had been called in as extra medical help, and Karin could not be dissuaded from accompanying them.

Rangiku had been shocked to see her former captain alive again, but under the circumstances, she had put their reunion on hold for the sake of her current captain. Toshirou Hitsugaya had been infected by the zombie powers of the Sternritter Z. With her death, he had been left with only a miniscule fraction of his spiritual pressure left. Mayuri estimated had he remained her slave for even another hour, all hope would have been lost for him.

As it was, his condition was slowly improving. However, as his energy returned and his mind remained absent, his riatsu began leaking out of control, freezing anything too close to his bed. Rukia had been moved to the bed next to his so that her own ice powers could keep his under control.

"Captain Shiba... Why did you never send word to us?" Rangiku asked quietly. It felt like a crime to break the silence that hung over them. Ichigo considered the young captain a good friend. Karin had only met him once before but grown very fond of him all the same. Isshin had considered him like a son before he had left Soul Society. Yuzu was the only one who did not feel a sense of great loss over the shinigami, and she was busy stitching his wounds while the healers focused their kido on more threatening injuries.

"I had lost my powers... And Aizen would have had me killed if I tried to return. It was safer for you both, and for myself, if I simply stayed away. Then I had a family I had to protect... I am sorry though... I wish I had found a way to let the two of you know I was alive." Isshin smiled at his youngest daughter tending to the boy he had once considered his first son. Now, he seemed like the little brother, not the older.

"He missed you... It tore him up to accept you were not coming back. He pushed himself to the breaking point to meet the challenge of the captain's exam so that no one else could take your place." Rangiku smiled sadly. "I guess I have to stop calling you 'Shiba', don't I? Toshirou almost tried to have his name changed to Toshirou Shiba until I told him people would only see it as a grab for nobility, not as honoring your memory."

"He's awake!" Karin sat up as she saw Toshirou's eyes flutter, open, then finally focus. Immediately, they felt the chill in the air evaporate as he wrestled his riatsu under control.

"Karin? What are you doing here? Rangiku, what's going on? Captain Shiba... Captain!" He sat up suddenly, then cried out and fell back, clutching the stitched up gash across his chest. "Captain... You're alive... I knew you were alive..."

"Yeah, Shiro. I'm alive. But it's Kurosaki now, not Shiba. And I haven't been a captain for twenty years." Isshin smiled and gently helped the boy sit up and stuffed a pillow behind him.

"Kurosaki... You can't be serious... Ichigo and Karin... They're your children?" The white haired captain looked around at the family surrounding him. "And you're name is Yuzu isn't it?"

"Mhm. It's nice to finally see you. I didn't believe Karin when she told me about you having hair like snow. It really is cool." Yuzu smiled sweetly at the boy as her sister blushed.

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days. The war is over. We won, if you can call it a victory. But the bloodshed has stopped, and the Shinigami have not been wiped out." Rangiku reported.

"It does not feel like victory..." Rukia said from the next bed over.

"No. It is never a victory when this many people die." Isshin stood up. "Ichigo, lets take a walk."

Without question, his son stood and followed him. Ichigo took one moment to place a hand on Toshiro's shoulder before leaving the Fourth Division.

"What is it, Dad?"

"What do you plan to do, now that the war is over?"

"I... I plan to stay in the human world for the last year of high school, then four years of college. Then I plan to return to Soul Society as a Shinigami. Do you think that is the wrong decision?"

"No, I think it is a very wise choice. Shunsui has asked me to return as a Captain, now that the war is over. There are a lot of seats to fill. I've refused to return entirely until all of my children have moved on. He's agreed to allow me to hold the title and allow my lieutenant to serve as head until that time comes."

"What division?"

"The Fourth. I've been a doctor for the last twenty years. I want to continue saving lives. Your mother would have wanted it that way."

"Yeah..."

"So, when are you going to marry my dear third daughter?"

"After I graduate and become a full time Shinigami, I plan to ask her to marry me. If she is still putting up with me, that is. Five years is a long time for things to change, for better or for worse."

"You should ask her brother for permission. Even if it is only an empty gesture, nobles are fond of those. It can't hurt to earn a few points with him."

"That's a good idea... Thanks." Ichigo stopped and looked up the hill they were standing at. "Looks like Orihime finally realized that Uryu was the one for her, not me." He smirked as he saw his two friends embracing and talking quietly to each other.

"You know they are reserving a Captain's seat for you as well, don't you?" Isshin turned to his son.

"I know. Captain Kyoraku has already told me he wants me to lead his old division. He even says I can appoint my own lieutenant, no restrictions."

"Have you decided who? Uryu? Orihime? Chad?"

"Lisa Yadomaru. It was her former position. We worked well together in Hueco Mundo and during the clean up effort after the battle on Sokyoku Hill. She also has the experience I lack. Besides, Uryu will never join the Gotei 13, and Orihime is definitely going to join the Fourth. Chad will be my right hand man, even if he doesn't hold the title. He knows that."

"You've gone and become a wise old man while I wasn't looking. I'm so proud!"

"Knock it off, Goat Chin!" Ichigo kicked his father as he tried to tackle him with a hug.

The two walked around the base of the hill and around the field of graves in silence from there.

Line -

"Toshirou... You know my dad?" Karin asked quietly.

"Yeah. He used to be my captain. He was like a father to me... I thought he was dead all these years. I never knew I had met two of his children." The white haired captain opened his eyes and glared at the girl. "And it is Captain Hitsugaya to you!"

"Whatever Toshirou. Tell me what he was like back then. My dad, I mean." Karin brushed off the boy's objection about his name.

"He was... Very good at making people feel at home. While he was here, the Tenth Division was a family. Closer than the Eleventh, at the time. We were all loyal to him. We loved him. That's not to say he was the best captain, though." Toshirou grinned to himself. "He was always trying to get out of work. Matsumoto picked that up from him."

"Doesn't sound likes he's changed that much."

"No... I envy you. Growing up with him as your father... It must have been a pain, but I can't imagine a better childhood."

"It was a pain... But you're right. He was a good father." Karin smiled. "The Tenth isn't that close anymore?"

"No... I was barely able to fulfill the requirements for captaincy in time when he disappeared, but I was never quite able to fill his shoes. The Tenth Division has a long way to go before it is back to its former glory."

"I'd like to see that... Do you think there is room for me in your division?" Karin asked.

"For Captain Shiba's daughter? Yes. But you'll have to go through the academy first." Toshirou smirked at her. "If you can handle it."

"Don't forget who you're talking to. Of course I can handle it!"

Line -

"Idiot..." Hiyori sighed as she readjusted her chair and slumped forward on the blonde man's chest again. When she had reached his side, he had given her one smile, then collapsed. Under his white captain's haori, he skin was a mangled mess of burnt flesh and gaping wounds. His blood loss was too severe for kido alone to have him. He had been one of the first that Isshin Kurosaki had treated after the battle.

She had not left his side since he had collapsed. Luckily, the battle had ended only minutes after her arrival with the Arrancar. Had it dragged out, the man might not have been treatable at all.

"Ah, you're still here. I heard them talking. They think the worst is past. He's held on this long, it's unlikely he'll die now." Kisuke Urahara took a set next to his former lieutenant. "He kept fighting so he could see you. He was ready to give up when I got there. Knowing you were on your way gave him strength."

"Not enough strength..." Hiyori no longer had the energy to be angry at her former captain. Not that he deserved any anger, but it was her go-to reaction, and it might have made her feel better, given the stressful circumstances.

"He's alive. I think that was plenty of strength."

"I should have been here in Soul Society fighting beside him the whole time... I shouldn't have been wasting my time in the living world doing errands for the Twelfth..."

"You did what you could. It is no use to regret what's past." Urahara reached into his pocket and tossed her a package. "A gift from Akon."

She takes the package hesitantly and lifts the lid off the small box. She raises an eyebrow at what is inside.

"My old hair ties? And my spare lieutenant badge... He kept my junk after I left? Not gonna lie, that's kinda creepy." Hiyori drops the lid back onto the box and tosses it over her shoulder, landing it neatly on a table.

"It is not in a scientist's nature to dispose of possible data. He also may have had something of a crush on you in the past, whether he would ever acknowledge it as such or not. I imagine it makes him feel a bit more... complete. To have finally returned the last of your belongings to you." Urahara said.

"Whatever..."

"Uh... Excuse me, but I need you both to move away a little... It's time for me to change his bandages..." Yuzu Kurosaki said shyly as she held the medical supplies up in explanation. Urahara bowed low and gave his old friend a wave before slipping off to another part of the division. Hiyori scooted her chair back a few feet and sat up straighter.

"Is he really going to be okay?" She asked the girl quietly. Yuzu looked at her with wide eyes, then smiled warmly and nodded.

"Yes. He's going to make a full recovery. At this point, even if he were an ordinary human, he would not be in much danger. He will be weak for a while though. In order to help as many people as possible, the healers have been using a special ointment that uses the subject's spiritual power as fuel to heal them. He is very strong, but his wounds were very bad. I would expect him to be awake by nightfall."

"Really?"

"Seems a bit conservative to me..." A groggy voice moaned from the bed.

"Shinji!" Hiyori stood up, took one moment to ensure her friend really was alive and well, then slapped him viciously with her flip flop. "You have a lot to answer for..."

"Ouch! Can't you see I'm injured, here? It's rude to go around slapping people in hospitals!" Shinji Hirako held his stinging cheek in mock agony. It _did_ hurt, but he was used to that.

"You could have died... For Shinigami... I thought you promised we would only die for each other..." Hiyori dropped her shoe and knelt beside him, leaning into his chest again.

"I did promise that. That's why I didn't die, dummy." Shinji tugged one of her pigtails teasingly.

"You came way too close... Don't do it again... They aren't worth it..."

"Hiyori... Maybe no Shinigami is worth it... But they would not have stopped there. They would have killed all of us as well. They hated Shinigami and Hollows so much, you think they would have spared us, who are both?"

"No... But you could have ran... Kensei and Rose... They both died. What would I have done without you? You're our leader, Shinji. We need you..."

"You'd have led them. They already know that." Shinji smirked at her shocked look. "What? Who else would I have left in charge? There is no one alive I trust more than you."

"Shinji... I am not through with you yet... Idiot... Baldy... Damn it..." She huffed and let her head slump weakly against him. "I love you."

"Yeah, love you too, uncouth monkey." Shinji closed his eyes and waved to Yuzu that he would be alright until he next round through. She smiled and went off to her next patient. He was in good hands.


	43. Chapter 43

" _Seeping crest of turbidity. Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, gray fortress tower. Unite! Repulse! Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired. Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!_ Senjū Kōten Kurohitsugi!" The Shinigami cried out. The air around him tore apart and congealed into blades of red light, then shot away from him, piercing an opaque black box that had appeared at his words.

"Very impressive! A double incantation with a couple of ninety level hado spells is something not even all of us could pull off." Shunsui patted the blonde man's shoulder. "Unless my collegues have any objections..." He paused to look over his shoulder. The two men behind him both shook their heads. One smiling warmly, the other as expressionless as ever. "... It is my pleasure and honor to promote you, Izuru Kira, to the position of Captain of the Third Division! Congratulations!"

"Th-thank you Captain Comander Kyoraku!" Izuru had been worried when his bankai was met with only mild interest, but he had put all of his effort into his kidou training for the last few months, and it had paid off. With Urahara and Tessai in Soul Society full time, he had had no shortage of wisdom to draw on.

"Well done! You have become quite the Shinigami in the last few years. It is admirable that in the face of all the hardships you have faced, you rose above them, rather than being beaten down as many others would have been. You have more than earned this." Captain Ukitake came to stand at his friend's side and extend a white haori to the newly appointed captain.

"I am honored. I will do my best to live up to this responsibility, sir!" Izuru reverently accepted the garment.

"Send in Shuhei Hisagi on your way out, please! What a busy day... Doesn't help that Komamura retired to a teaching position when we were already short on captains... Can't be helped though. Maybe this will be the first time in Seireitei history that we'll fill two captain seats in one day!" Shunsui added. Izuru nodded and began walking toward the door. A hand caught his shoulder. He glanced back to find Captain Kuchiki at his side.

"I would like to speak to you for a moment, Captain Kira." Byakuya said in a way that left no room for refusal. Izuru nodded again and followed the older captain out of the room and in to the hall.

"What did you need to speak to me about, Captain Kuchiki?"

"You graduated from the academy with my Lieutenant, Renji Abarai, correct?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Do you believe he is capable of serving as a Captain of the Gotei 13?"

"Renji? He would have to master Kidou..." Izuru had not expected this from the typically emotionless captain. He had always thought of Renji as the stronger Shinigami, compared to himself, but Kidou was the one skill that set them apart. "Are you suggesting I tutor him?"

"No, that is a lost cause." Byakuya dismissed the suggestion immediately. Izuru winced slightly. That was harsh. True, but still. "It is possible for a Shinigami to become a captain without all of the requirements if he or she is recommended by six captains and approved by three of the remaining captains. Ordinarily, this allows for three or four captains to oppose the candidate, but as the Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth Divisions are all lacking their captains, that leaves room for only one. Captains Kyoraku, Hirako, Ukitake, and myself are all agreed to propose him. If yourself and Shuhei Hisagi will join that number, I believe we can count on Captains Soifon, Hitsugaya, and Zaraki to approve him."

"I see! Of course I will agree to help! I am sure Lieutenant Hisagi will as well, if he passes his exam." Izuru smiled. It would be nice to have a captain from his own class to learn the finer points of the new position with him.

"I am pleased to hear that. Lieutenant Abarai has proven himself to me as a capable leader and soldier, despite his deficiency with Kidou. It seems the only way I could properly repay his service is by seeing that he is given the rank he has earned." Byakuya turned away. "Send in Hisagi."

"Yes Sir!"

Line -

"Kenny?" Yachiru peaked into her father's room. He was sitting cross legged in the center of the floor, his sword planted in the boards between his feet, his hands on his knees. His eyes were closed, but his eyebrows twitched at the sound of her voice.

"Not now, Yachiru. Got bother Ikkaku and Yumichika. I'm busy." Kenpachi Zaraki, in the wake of the war, had finally felt the loss of Unohana's death. The one and only Shinigami he could have ever fought on even ground with was gone. And as he was now, no other Shinigami could hope to stand before him. Ichigo was the only man stronger, and the gap in their strengths was as great as the one between him and the average Shinigami. So, he dedicated himself to becoming stronger.

This meant he had spent the majority of his waking hours in his inner world with his Zanpakuto, with less and less time for his Lieutenant and adopted daughter, Yachiru Kusajishi. Ikkaku and Yumichika had done their best to maintain he girl's happiness and involvement with the Division, but in the end, she had turned to a different outlet for her frustration.

Captain Toshirou Hitsugaya, having recovered fully from his brief time as a zombie slave, was not thrilled to find the pink haired demon spending more and more time sitting on his desk. At first, he had vehemently ordered her to leave him to his work, but the girl knew the value of persistence. Within a week, he had stopped verbally trying to send her away. Within three weeks, he no longer blinked when he found her there. By the time five weeks had passed, he was genuinely concerned when she was missing from her spot in the mornings.

The two slowly began to get to know each other as more than the energetic lieutenant and the icy captain. As their morning conversations evolved from arguments to curiosity, and finally into something like friendship, Toshirou could not help thinking about what he had missed out on, scorning the childish girl for all these years.

She was brilliant, when she could be persuaded to focus on something for more than a handful of seconds. Not a prodigy, but sharper than anyone had given her credit for. She was strong, and when handled properly, knew where to draw the line on her playfulness.

Two months after the war had ended, Toshirou would finish his paperwork early, and rather than taking a nap, he would follow Yachiru off on an adventure into the Rukongai so she could show him something interesting she had found, or so he could teach her a combat technique she was interested in, or simply so they could talk for hours without them having to pretend they were more or less mature than they really were.

Yachiru told him the entire story of finding Kenpachi and eventually broke down and cried as she explained how she felt abandoned by him lately. With her namesake's death, it was as if she didn't matter any more. She could not present a challenge to him, so he had no interest.

Toshirou recounted his time with his grandmother and Momo, and coming to join the Gotei 13. He let her comfort him when he could not stop his own tears as he remembered his captain being pronounced dead, with no body and no explanation. He told her about his fear that Momo would never see him the same way she had before Aizen's betrayal had left her broken.

But sometimes, even with the white haired captain there to lean on, she could not stop herself from wishing everything were back to how it had been before. Just her and Kenpachi.

As she closed the door to the captain's quarters, she came face to face with a black-clad member of the stealth force. He was lucky he had not registered as a threat to her, or he would have been dead long before she recognized him as an ally.

"Lieutenant Kusojishi, I have a message for your captain." The ninja said quietly. Acting in secrecy for too long seemed to have left him in a constant state of quiet.

"He is busy at the moment. Deliver your message to me, or get out." Yachiru snapped. It was becoming more and more common for her to have to fulfill her roll as Lieutenant.

"Yes, Ma'am. Five rebel Sternritter have been located at the very edge of the Rukongai. The area is now under surveillance, but the Eleventh Division is being dispatched to eliminate the threat."

"Understood. You're dismissed." Yachiru turned her back on the messenger and began walking toward the office of the Third Seat. As the ninja flash stepped away, she slowed down and finally stopped. Five Sternritter... Kenny had killed three at one time in the war... Then another one later... then one more near the end. If she could match his five, maybe he would consider her worth his time again...

Without further thought of reporting the situation to Ikkaku, she set off for the edge of the Rukongai.

Line -

"Urgent message for Captain Kenpachi Zaraki!" A black-clad man appeared in front of Ikkaku and Yumichika on their way to the training grounds.

"He's busy. What is it?" Ikkaku raised an eyebrow.

"I am to deliver this news directly to the captain..."

"You will deliver it to me, right now, or else..." Ikkaku gripped his Zanpakuto threateningly.

"I... Very well. Lieutenant Kusajishi confronted five rebel Sternritter alone. She killed two, but fell in battle. She is dead." The messenger reported as if he were reading a grocery list. He barely dodged the blow that split the stones where he had been standing.

"Is this some kind of sick joke? Cause we're not laughing." Ikkaku raised his sword again, this time taking time to truly gauge his target. He would not miss twice.

"It is no joke." The messenger held up a piece of black cloth and unfolded it to reveal a pink wrapped hilt with two inches of broken steel. "This was all we could risk recovering without backup."

"Yachiru... No..." Ikkaku dropped to his knees and reverently lifted the small sword hilt. "Yumi... Get the captain." He clenched his fists until blood ran from between his fingers.

"Get me for what? … Ikkaku, what are you holding..." Kenpachi Zaraki towered over the men, his one open eye fixed on the familiar pink hilt.

Line -

Toshirou felt like vomiting as he watched the procession. He may have been the only one who fully understood why Yachiru had gone out alone. He may have been the only person who she had chosen to confide in. He had brushed it off as senseless worry when she had not appeared on his desk that morning. Now he could do nothing but clench his fists and try to convince himself that his inaction had not caused this tragedy.

Many did no understand what was going on at first. It seemed unthinkable that it could be a funeral. The Eleventh Division never mourned the dead. But today, the usual rowdy and belligerent group walked in solemn silence through the streets of the Seireitei.

At the head of the procession was Ikkaku Madarame, followed closely by Yumichika Ayasegawa. Occasionally, Ikkaku would stumble. Yumichika would steady him, then withdraw. Behind them, the entire Eleventh Division followed. In the middle of the group, lifted to shoulder height by two dozen men, was a large stretcher. In the middle, laying on his back with his eyes closed, was the body of Kenpachi Zaraki. Curled against his side as if she were asleep was Yachiru.

Their swords lay on his other side. Hers was shattered into fragments. His was more ragged than ever, and crusted black with blood. Kenpachi's blood soaked haori lay across Ikkaku's shoulders. The bald man walked bent low as if the cloth carried the weight of the great man who wore it until that day.

"What happened?! Who killed Zaraki!?" A voice from the crowd shouted. Ikkaku stopped and swayed on the spot. Yumichika caught him and glared at the crowd, unable to identify who had spoken. No one but Yumichika heard Ikkaku's weak reply.

"I did..."

Line -

"Why didn't you ever tell me, Yumi?" Ikkaku asked quietly. It was the first he had spoken to his friend since the fight.

"Because... It is the unwritten law of the Eleventh Division... No Kidou type Zanpakuto. I would have been cast out..." Yumichika sat on his bed, elbows on his knees and face in his hands. "It was worth keeping it a secret so I could fight by your side."

"But you kept it a secret from _me_ , Yumi... I told you my secret from the start..."

"I hate to tell you this, but yours was not much of a secret." Yumichika managed to smile at his friend, receiving only a scowl in return.

"Not. The. Point. You should have trusted me... You're my best friend."

"I thought you would hate me if you knew..."

"Never. I would have left the Eleventh of you had been kicked out. You fought by my side since the day we met. I admired Zaraki, but you've always been my best friend. You should have told me."

"I know... I'm sorry, Ikkaku. I should never have doubted you. I won't doubt you again." Yumi stood up and extended his Zanpakuto, blade pointing toward the ground. After a moment, Ikkaku grabbed the hilt directly above his friend's hand.

"You better not." Ikkaku released his friend's Zanpakuto and studied it more closely. "I'm impressed you have kept up with me all these years without ever releasing your Shikai... You've gotta be at captain level by now."

"I have no intention of becoming a captain when I finally got the Third Seat I have wanted for decades!" Yumichika laughed.

"Third Seat? You're supposed to be my Lietuenant!" Ikkaku demanded. His friend shook his head.

"I'm staying Third Seat. And unless they can beat me, no one is taking the Lieutenant position. It can remain empty as a tribute to Yachiru, just as your title is a tribute to Zaraki." Yumichika said. Ikkaku nodded reluctantly.

"I guess we can get a modified Lieutenant badge made for you, so they know you're my second in command _and_ the Third Seat." Ikkaku turned over the badge in his hand. "We can put this with her sword, then."

"I think that is an excellent idea, Captain Kenpachi Ikkaku Madarame. You're getting the hang of this job already."

Line -

"What happened?! Was there a Hollow attack?!" Isane Kotetsu rushed to the man's side and took him to a bed. Blood was dripping from his fingertips as it poured out of a deep cut in his shoulder.

"I fell asleep during training." Ikkaku mumbled, his sword dragging along the ground behind him as he sat on the edge of the bed he was guided to.

"You... Fell asleep? Have you not been sleeping well?" Isane asked, curious and concerned that anyone could fall asleep in a fight. Although, if anyone could, they would be in the Eleventh Division.

"Haven't slept in days... Not since I... Not since Zaraki died... Hope it's only days... Weeks would be bad..." Ikkaku leaned back on the mattress and his eyes flickered shut. Isane began a series of healing spells as the bald captain as his breathing slowed and evened out.

Almost as soon as he slipped into unconsciousness, Ikkaku bolted upright in a panic.

"Ah... Nightmares..." Isane smiled sympathetically and continued her healing. "I used to suffer from nightmares all the time. You have more reason for them then I ever did..."

"How did you get rid of them?" Ikkaku looked up at the healer.

"I... I invented a new kido spell by fusing a healing kido with a binding kido. It lets a person sleep with no dreams at all." Isane finished closing the wound. "I could use it on you, if you would allow me."

"It is not the way of the Eleventh to run away from an enemy just because we are not strong enough to fight it, nor let someone else fight our battles..." Ikkaku looked at his sword. "But I can not fight this enemy at all... And it is stopping me from fighting other enemies."

"So you will allow it?"

"...Yeah..." Ikkaku released his grip on his sword and ran a hand over his scalp. "It is impressive that you could created a kido like that... Yumi's been explaining the finer workings of Kido to me lately. I still don't understand it all though... Why haven't they made you captain yet?"

"No bankai... I am too weak to be a captain. Even the head of a group of healers must be able to fight." Isane said quietly.

"Bullshit. You're as strong as the ones you keep alive." Ikkaku smirked up at her as his eyes drooped shut again. She began casting the spell and he immediately felt the difference. He had been all but asleep already.

"I'm keeping you alive... I guess I am not so weak then..." She smiled as he fell asleep. This time, he did not awaken in a panic.

Line -

"Hey Sis!" Kiyone grinned as she slid in to a chair across from the silver haired Lieutenant.

"Hey Kiyone. How have things been in the Thirteenth?"

"Really busy, with Rukia on an extended assignment in the living world. But it's great! There is enough work that Sentaro and I can both show what we've got without stepping all over each other! Captain Ukitake has been very pleased with us!" Kiyone said excitedly. "And what about you? Must be hard, acting as temporary captain of the Fourth Division."

"It's not so bad. I get to choose my patients more than I used to." Isane smiled and looked away from her sister. Kiyone noticed a trace of pink on Isane's cheeks.

"Oh! You've been enjoying the gratitude of some handsome soldier, huh? I thought you seemed more relaxed than usual!" Kiyone leaned over the table and whispered. "Who is it? Do I know him?"

"I'd be pretty surprised if you didn't at least know his name..." Isane was no longer able to pretend to hide her blush as she focused intently on the cup of tea in her hands.

"Hmm... So it's probably a Captain or Lieutenant, right?" Kiyone received a reluctant nod. "You probably always got the Lieutenants before, so I'm gonna guess it's a captain." Kiyone smirked at the slight droop of her sister's shoulders. "You said it's a guy, so Two is out... It has to be someone who's been injured since the war, so One, Five, Six, Ten, and Twelve are out. Eight and Four are empty. That leaves five options... Kira, Abarai, Hisagi, Madarame, and Ukitake... You wouldn't dare seduce my captain... Would you?!"

"No! It's not Captain Ukitake!" Isane barely restrained herself from shouting.

"Good... So. Blonde, Red, Black, or Bald... Kira is so depressing, I don't think he'd make you so relaxed and happy. Hisagi has been crazy for Matsumoto for as long as I have been drinking with them, so I doubt it's him. So... Is it Renji Abarai? Those tattoos are kinda hot..." Kiyone asked. Isane shook her head and closed her eyes. "You can't be serious... You're seeing the captain of the _Eleventh_?! You're a healer!"

"I know..."

"He is Captain _Kenpachi_ Ikkaku Madarame! That means he is the greatest _killer_ alive today!" Kiyone is frantic now.

"I know, Kiyone! Just... He's a great man. The Eleventh Division is... Really beautiful, if you get to know them." Isane smiled and set her cup down and looked at her sister. "Do you trust me?"

"Isane..." Kiyone sighed. "Yeah. Of course I do, Sis."

"Then trust me that he is a good man. Even with the title of Kenpachi."

Line -

"Soi? Little Bee? What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Yoruichi sat on the top of her friend's dresser in her cat form, watching silently as the short woman jumped and took only an instant to locate her.

"Ah... Lad-... Yoruichi... I was expecting you to be in human form... Wait! No! Don't..." Soifon's objections trailed off as her idol stood naked in front of her. She watched in stunned silence as the taller woman walked across the room, picked up a robe, and slipped it on with no urgency in her motions. "I wanted to speak with you about the Stealth Force."

"Oh. I have administered a few tests without informing them. You've done an excellent job training them." Yoruichi smiled as she took a seat on the Captain's bed.

"Thank you... But I don't believe I should be the one training them anymore, now that your exile has been lifted. The Shihoin Clan has traditionally been the head of the Stealth Force. I... I would like you to return to your former position as head of the Stealth Force. I will remain the captain of the Second Division. We'll be equal's, as far as rank is concerned..." Soifon looked away from her bed. Yoruichi's robe covered very little while she was standing, and less when she sat down and leaned back.

"Calling me Yoruichi instead of Lady Yoruichi... Wanting us to be equal in rank... Little Bee, I am on to you." The woman almost purred as she stood and moved to stand directly behind her friend. "I won't be taking my old job back as a condition for any such thing, naughty girl. You'll have to ask me out on a date without knowing if I will accept the position or not first."

"But... I can't... You're a noble and I'm..."

"A Captain. A well respected Captain, who has earned the admiration and loyalty of her men and her peers. That is worth a lot more than my family name. Just ask, Little Bee. I won't make any promises about the job, but I will not say no to a date with you." Yoruichi wrapped her arms slowly around the shorter woman.

"You shot the scene I had planned in my head all to hell..." Soifon crossed her arms over her chest and huffed indignantly. "Would you like to go on a trip to watch a movie in the living world with me? I here they are a common thing for humans to see on dates."

"I would love to, Soi." Yoruichi smirked and nuzzled Soifon's hair. "And I would love to work beside you as an equal. That was what I always wanted when I was teaching you all those years ago..."

"Why did you leave me?" Soifon clenched her fists.

"Because I wanted to watch you grow strong on your own. You relied on me too much, and if I brought you with me, you would have never seen me as an equal." The cat woman kissed Soifon's head. "Can you forgive me?" The shorter woman all but melted in her embrace.

"You already know the answer to that... You just like making me say cheesy things."

"You got it, Little Bee." Yoruichi grinned. "But if I here those cheesy things, I may take you out next time... For a nice fried fish dinner, or something of that nature."

"That's quite the offer..." Soifon smirked.

"And I also won't tell anyone about your black cat panties."

The smirk vanished at a speed that put the Flash Goddess to shame.

Line -

"Ouch! What the hell did I do this time?!" Shinji glared at the short woman as the red outline of her flip flop slowly became visible on his cheek.

"Dumbass! I am not joining the Fifth Division! And don't you dare suggest the Twelfth with that creep in charge! You'll just have to declare this room my own sovereign nation within the Seireitei!" Hiyori demanded as she swung her shoe threateningly at the man.

"You're pretty demanding for someone so short..." Shinji should have seen the second smack coming.

"Shinji..." The small Visored growled as she raised the shoe yet again.

"Alright, alright! I'll make sure you can stay without joining the Gotei 13! The Captain Commander is pretty easy going about stuff like this, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal." Shinji dodged the next attack. He was running out of cheeks and he planned on sitting down at some point. "Our future kids are gonna learn abusive habits if you keep that up!"

"Kids? You haven't even manned up and married me yet! I told you I was going to be a virgin bride!" Hiyori dropped the flip flop and slid her foot back into it.

"So... Sovereign nation?" Shinji grinned at her.

"That's right. With... diplomatic relations with the Fifth Division... Frequently." Hiyori smirked and grabbed the front of his haori. "Get a ring by the end of the week, or you'll _never_ have children. Mine or otherwise."


	44. Chapter 44

"Welcome, all of you. These past centuries, especially the last few years, have seen more bloodshed than most of Soul Society's history put together. Aizen's schemes led to the hollowfication and wrongful exile of many of our finest warriors, and finally, war with Hueco Mundo. Then, just when we had recovered from that tragedy, the Sealed King Yhwach returned to exterminate Shinigami and Hollows alike." Captain Commander Shunsui Kyoraku smiled sadly at the group he was addressing.

"A Shinigami with great power and a greater mind. A Quincy with a thousand years of hatred. These conflicts only end with death. And the reward is trivial in comparison. For this reason, the Soul King has approved the creation of a new organization, on equal footing with the Central 46. This new group will consist of delegates from every faction in our worlds. Together, they will work to find compromise and make peace so that senseless bloodshed can be avoided in the future. The Central 46 and, by extension, the Gotei 13 have been commanded to lend you our full support in any way we can. The name of this group, as proposed by its founder, is the Delta Division. Now, allow me the honor of introducing the chief ambassador for the Shinigami, former Captain of the Twelfth Division and Founder of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, Kisuke Urahara." Shunsui stepped aside and allowed the younger man to take his place in front of the group.

"Thank you, Captain Commander. First off, I think I should tell you I'm not a perfect man. I know there are some who see my achievements and believe I can do no wrong, but I would like to tell you all from the start, that just isn't true. I've made as many foolish choices and mistakes as anyone else. More, probably. And many of mine have been far worse simply due to the knowledge and power I am capable of putting in to them. None of us are perfect. That is why none of us can do this alone. This group has been created so that we can work together for peace. So that no one has to shoulder the burden alone, and to balance each other. To cover each others faults with our own strengths. I'm honored to have been chosen to represent the Shinigami. Tessai Tsukabishi will serve as my second and take my place in the event I am unable or unwilling to carry out my duty." Urahara gestured to the tall man. "With that said, I look forward to working with all of you. Now, meet the representative of the Quincy, Ryuken Ishida."

The introductions continued on for a while as each of the representative groups took their turns. Many already knew each other, if only by face and name, but few truly knew what the people surrounding them truly thought and felt.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck and Gantenbainne Mosqueda represent the Arrancar. Ryuken and Uryu Ishida represent the Quincy. Kisuke Urahara and Tessai Tsukabishi represent the Shinigami. Love Aikawa and Hachigen Ushouda represent the Visored.

Once they have formally met each other, they begin to discuss a plan of action for the Delta Division. Urahara reported some of his latest theories, which if proven, would completely change the way Shinigami looked at Quincy and Hollows. Love suggested the addition of ambassadors for the living and the non-Shinigami souls in the Rukongai. Nelliel proposed that they should have occasional meetings open to the public of each of their societies in order to stay connected with those they were trying to make peace for. Ryuken drew up a schedule for their future meetings, both private and public, and recorded all plans and decisions made during their first meeting.

When it became clear no further progress would be made that day, the group separated. Urahara and Uryu were the only ones remaining in their newly constructed meeting hall.

"It was a good idea. I think it might just work." Urahara grinned.

"Yes. They all have the drive I think we need to move forward on a new path." Uryu looked around the meeting room. "You designed this?"

"I did. Each section of wall leads to a different world. This building is actually suspended outside of any world, sort of like the Dangai, only without the compressed layers of time. They all use my Garganta technology instead of a Senkaimon so that they can be traversed without a hell butterfly. One wall for the Living World. One for Soul Society. One for Hueco Mundo."

"It's a clever idea. That way, no group can lay claim to it on the grounds that it resides in their dimension." Uryu raised a hand and tried to summon his bow. "Neutralized powers within the building?"

"Exactly. For everyone. Internal power is contained and maintained at a low enough level to prevent them from burning up from the inside, and external power is sealed or expelled. The only Reishi that can enter this building is that which constitutes a spirit body. It is completely made of living world materials."

"You've thought of everything, haven't you?" Uryu dropped his hand and smirked. "Good. If we have open meetings and allow Hollows, Quincy, and Shinigami into one building, we need to be able to minimize the damage they do."

"Exactly. Although I believe the majority desire peace, there are certain to be those who prefer war. Blood-lust is not a trait of Hollows alone."

"Do you really think you will be able to find a way to make peace with Hollows that have not removed their masks?" Uryu asked. He had listened to several of the theories the man had gone over, but of all of them, he had been most surprised by that.

"Maybe. At least with Vasto Lorde. They have the highest reasoning powers. I think it may be possible, but it will take time. I need to speak to Mayuri about collaborating on the research."

"Good luck..." Uryu suppressed his urge to make a disgusted face at the mention of that man's name. "I should get back to the Living World. Orihime will be worried if I am too late."

"Just walk at the wall and it will send you home." Urahara waved farewell to the young Quincy king.

Now alone, Urahara closed his eyes and leaned against one of the walls that did not contain a garganta. Convincing his old assistant to help him would be a challenge, but not necessarily impossible. They had worked together during the war as if no time had passed, but that had been a desperate rush for victory, not a drawn out plan for peace.

He had almost dozed off, his thoughts and theories running circles around his head, when he felt another presence beside him.

"What are you doing here at this hour, Hiyori?"

"Shinji finally asked me to marry him..." The short Visored sighed and slid to the floor. Urahara slid down next to her, mirroring her pose with his arms crossed over his knees.

"Did you say yes? I know you've been waiting for this for a long time."

"Not yet... I pretty much told him to ask me or else, but now... Damn it, I keep wandering if he ever would have on his own or if he is just giving in because I was too pushy!" Hiyori growled and stomped one foot angrily, nearly flinging her flip flop from her foot.

"Of course he would have. You probably don't remember that he was the first to awaken after the Hollowfication, and he didn't leave your side once until you awakened. You two were from the Rukongai, weren't you?" Urahara looked over at his former Lieutenant.

"Yeah... He was from district fourteen and I was from out at district fifty six. The first time we met, he said I looked like some feral monkey let loose in a town for people. That was the first time I ever slapped him with my shoe." Hiyori let out a small laugh. "He did feed me though. I would have probably died without him. I'd like to think I saved him as many times as he saved me though."

"Humble as always." Urahara laughed as the girl buried her fist in his side. "Just kidding, Hiyori."

"Still deserved it." She retracted her fist and then stretched out her legs. "You guys are going to make a better world for us, right? Or children won't be put to death for being born part hollow? They will be able to grow up without being slaughtered by Quincy and Arrancar and Shinigami and whatever else is lurking out there?"

"Yes. We're going to make that better world for your children, Hiyori."

"Thanks, Captain." Hiyori pushed herself to her feet. "I should go talk to Shinji about when we're going to have our wedding. He'll want it to be during the summer while the Living World is out of school, so that doesn't leave us long."

"I expect an invitation!" Urahara waved to her. It always made him feel a bit better about his life when she called him Captain. It was her way of acknowledging that she had accepted him. That he was a part of her life now, even if he was no longer a Captain.

"Yeah, yeah. Make sure Mayuri looks like a human or I'm gonna kick his ass!"

Line -

"You'll come and visit at least every other weekend, right?!" Yuzu clung to his arm, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes. He sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, fine. I'll come and visit _you_ at least every other weekend. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stay the whole weekend, or put up with Goat Chin's shenanigans! It's bad enough that you guys told him my apartment address..." Ichigo crossed his arms. It was hard to pretend to be mad at his sisters. Especially Yuzu. She was just too kind.

"It was either that or he was going to hire a stalker to find out. I thought you'd prefer not to have any members of the Stealth Force looking in your windows." Karin shrugged. Ichigo shuddered. She was right. And he would be shutting all of his curtains now.

"Alright, that was the last box. We should get out of here before your father gets back." Mizuiro said from the door. Ichigo nodded and gave each of his sisters a final hug before following his friend out of the house. Keigo sat on the back bumper of the large van they had rented obtained from Urahara's shop. Chad leaned against the side of the vehicle, watching the clouds go by in silence.

"It's not to late to switch schools! You can still spend the next four years with us, Ichigo!" Keigo called out in his most enticing impersonation of a used car salesman. Ichigo shook his head.

"If we all go to the same place, Hollows will be crawling all over the place like ants. If we split up, then the Shinigami covering the different areas will be able to handle it. I won't be able to fight Hollows full time and study in college at the same time, so we have to minimize how many we attract." He had explained it to them several times already. He had them all gather after their graduation and coordinate what schools they had been accepted to with what they wanted to study, how close together the schools were, and how powerful each one was. In the end, Keigo and Mizuiro, Tatsuki and Chizuru, and Orihime and Uryu were the only ones going to schools in the same towns. None in Karakura.

"Yeah, I know... Are you really leaving after college? Why go in the first place?" Keigo hopped to the ground and got into the van. Chad took the driver's seat with Ichigo in the front passenger seat. Mizuiro sat next to Keigo in the second row of seats. Chad would drive them out to Ichigo's apartment, then back in to Keigo and Mizuiro's dorm, then through Karakura and on to his own apartment. The van would stay with him until the next summer.

"I'm going because... It is just something I have always felt like I had to do. And with everything that has happened, one more experience that at least resembles normal will be good for me. And who knows, I might get stuck in the living world with no powers like my dad did, and a college degree will come in handy!" Ichigo looked in the mirror and watched his house vanish from sight as they turned a corner.

The four talked about their upcoming classes and what they looked forward to and feared in the coming years. Of course, Keigo's loudest complaint was that his friend was abandoning him and Mizuiro was a terrible wing man, so he was never going to get a date.

"Guys... There is one thing I haven't told you. When I graduate and go to Soul Society... I'm never coming back. I won't be able to. I promised Zangetsu that we would merge again, and when that happens, it will be dangerous for me to come in to the living world. We will probably never see each other again." Ichigo clenched his fists at his sides, waiting for his friends to yell at him. Instead, Chad let out one of his rare, quiet laughs.

"We're going to Soul Society with you. We've already enrolled in the Shinigami Academy." Chad smiled serenely as his best friend's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Oh, uh, surprise!" Mizuiro said from the seat behind Chad.

"The girls are in on it too. Apparently we all have enough spiritual energy to make it in now. Even my sister..." Keigo made a face of horror.

"Huh... That makes things a lot easier to deal with..." Ichigo grinned and flicked a switch beside his seat, collapsing the contraption back on Keigo. He stretched and folded his ahdns behind his head, striking a pose of complete relaxation.

"Ichigo! You're crushing me!" Keigo squirmed unsuccessfully.

A few hours later, Ichigo was waving goodbye to his friends. They had moved his few boxes of belongings in to the spacious apartment, now it was up to him to unpack everything.

"It's about time. I thought you got lost." The voice from the window made him smile.

"You're one to talk. You can't even read a map!" Ichigo turned to the window and caught the black haired Shinigami as she tried to jump to the ground, instead hugging her tightly and then depositing her on the kitchen counter. "I missed you, Rukia."

"I missed you too, Ichigo." Rukia swung her feet gently as she looked around the apartment. "It's bigger than I thought it would be."

"Well, I did spend all summer getting the salary of a Captain, and your brother is paying half of it." Ichigo began pulling things out of boxes and putting them in cabinets. "I still can't believe he is allowing this."

"Uh... About that... Strictly speaking, Captain Ukitake and Renji are the only ones who know I am staying with you. My brother only knows I am staying in the living world and the money is going to cover living expenses and tuition." Rukia said innocently. Ichigo froze.

"So... Your brother, expecting to visit his little sister, may show up and be less than pleased to find me answering the door?"

"That... is not unthinkable." Rukia acknowledged.

"You're trying to get me killed, aren't you?" Ichigo shook his head. If the Captain of the Sixth were to show up, he would just have to do his best to remain calm and explain. Alright, that was a blatant lie. He would have to run, very, very fast.

Line -

 _Ran-chan._

 _I can never put into words how much it pains me to write this. I can only hope that I succeed in my mission before my guilt out weighs my conviction. The evils Aizen has committed, and plans to commit, are beyond comprehension. And I have been a part of them for many years now. I console myself with the fact that if I were not doing his bidding, someone else would. I must continue down this path. One more person fighting him head on would never make a difference in his downfall, but perhaps one person fighting from the inside will._

 _I won't ask you to forgive me. I don't deserve that. But I will ask that you do one thing for me. Live well. Be happy. Never forget, I love you with all my heart. You are my world, and my reason for fighting. Even if I die, or spend all of eternity in a cell for what I have done, I will not regret it, so long as you are safe, and have a chance to live free and happy._

 _Let your friends help you. Don't cry alone, and don't let happiness pass you by waiting for me. Smile._

 _Gin_

Rangiku folded the letter and sighed. It had been two years since he died. Two years exactly. The letter had been found on her pillow when she returned from his funeral. She had no idea where it had come from. She doubted Izuru could have kept such a secret through everything. Her own captain... Well, she would not say it was impossible, but beyond unlikely. Regardless, she had long since accepted that Gin laughed at the idea of conforming to the widely accepted laws of possible and impossible almost as much as Ichigo.

"Oh Gin... I would have been happy if you had just stayed by my side..." She kissed the letter and slid it into the top drawer of the short table by her bed.

"Matsumoto! You've got a mission in the living world! Get out here!" Her captain's irritated voice interrupted her musing. _That's right, I agreed to go with Shuhei... I forgot what day it was... I really just want to sulk, but I did promise... Okay. Up, Rangiku!_ She forced herself to her feet and took a moment to straighten her clothes and run her fingers through her hair in front of the mirror before grabbing her Zanpakuto and joining the others.

She saw her captain's expression soften when he caught the haggard look in her eyes. He never forgot that the man who had once been labeled a traitor had meant everything to her. Shuhei looked guilty.

"I realized I had forgotten... I'm sorry for asking you to go with me today. I can find a substitute, if you would prefer..." The tattooed man looked away from her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm alright. I need to stop sulking. A mission in the living world will be good for me. Keep my mind off the past and on the present." She stepped out the door and into the sun, stretching and feeling the breeze on her skin. She smiled. _This is what you wanted... My smile? Well, you better be watching, cause I won't promise to come out and let you see it if you miss it!_

Inside, the white haired captain held back the newly appointed captain of the Ninth Division.

"Hisagi... I expect my Lieutenant to be back in one piece. And, if possible, a bit happier for the experience. She is fond of ice cream in the living world. Take her shopping. I'll reimburse you for anything she buys." Toushiro said quietly. "And get her to talk about it. Don't tell me a word about it. But it will be good for her to let it out, and I'm not the right person for that."

"Yes Captain Hitsugaya." Shuhei said, looking over his shoulder at the door. "A lot of people wonder why she would stay a lieutenant with a captain so cold, but I am glad to see you care about her."

"You are a shining ray of hope for her to recover from losing Gin. If you break her heart as well, you'll find out just how much I care about her, and just how cold I can be. Now, get going." Toushiro gestured toward the door.

"I would expect nothing less." Shuhei smiled. Since his promotion, he had found his opinions of the captains changing slowly as he interacted with them as equals for the first time. And as those long held views of his superiors changed, he grew to like the youngest captain more and more. His no nonsense attitude, strong sense of right and wrong, hot temper, and level head in battle... Even his white hair. He reminded Shuhei of his hero when he was only a child. Kensei Muguruma.

Line -

"C-Captain!" Omeada jumped at the sudden entrance of his superior. He quickly hid the bag of crackers he had been eating stood at attention, waiting for the wrath that was sure to be dropped upon him.

"Hm? Oh, you. Take today off. No training today." Soifon waved dismissively at the man. He stared in shock. A day off? That didn't happen. If he was to receive time off, he would have to request it a month ahead, and then he would have to toe the line for that month or risk having it revoked. She wasn't even wearing her white haori.

"Uh... Captain? Are you feeling alright?" Omeada was not eager to question here sudden generosity, but he was also completely loyal to her, and if there was something wrong with her, he would always be there to help.

"I'm perfectly fine." Soifon smiled happily. Her lieutenant's confusion and concern only grew. Soifon smiling? Handing out time off without a literal fist fight? Out of uniform in front of a subordinate? Was she _humming_?! A door opening drew the attention of both ninjas. The large man immediately turned his red face away from his captain's open door.

"Little Bee, what are you doing up so early? I thought you were going to give the division the day off..." Yoruichi yawned and stretched, wearing nothing but Soifon's white haori, which was riding dangerously high due to the stretch.

"I was going to fix breakfast and surprise you after I told them to take the day off. Why are _you_ up so early?" Soifon was not at all fazed by her idol's lack of clothing, nor the impressive shade of red Omeada had become.

"The bed's a lot colder without you. I'd rather have my heater than breakfast." The noble woman smirked, beckoning suggestively. Omeada could not justify staying another moment. He decided it would be in the best interest of his continued breathing to exit immediately and ensure no one else entered the office area for the rest of the day. Just before he had closed the door behind him, his captain addressed him and he heard a hint of her usual tone through her happiness.

"If one word of this leaves this room, I will cut out your tongue with Suzumebachi."

Several members of the second division learned that the large, incompetent man could flash step as well as one would expect of a highly ranked member of the Stealth Force, when properly motivated.

Line -

"You alright, Juushiro?" Shunsui gently pried the empty sake bottle from his friend's hand and led him to his futon in the corner of his room. "How many bottles have you had today? I know you hold your alcohol better than I do..."

"I lost count..." The white haired captain sighed and pushed his hair out of his face, searching in vain for something to tie it back with. His friend handed him one of his own hair ties and then sat beside him. "I went to the Fourth Division for a treatment today... It hadn't really sunk in that Retsu was gone until now..."

"Ah, I get it now." Shunsui smiled sadly at his friend and put an arm around his shoulders. "Did you ever tell her?"

"No... I kept waiting and hoping that I would finally get better... I waited too long, Shunsui..."

"You will get better, Juushiro. And I think she knew, even if you never said it." Shunsui lifted the hat from his head and tossed it to his desk, then fell back and crossed his arms behind his head. His friend sighed and followed his lead. "You should send a hell butterfly to your division so they don't worry."

"I am far too drunk to be issuing orders of any kind, even to butterflies..." Juushiro put a hand over his eyes. "I haven't drank that much since our academy days..."

"You always could drink me under the table without breaking a sweat." Shunsui yawned. "I'll send the message, then." He called a hell butterfly to him and dismissed it to the Thirteenth Division with his message.

"Do you think your Lieutenant will be mad about me staying here? I know she can be strict about thing. I may count as an unnecessary distraction from your work."

"First, you're my best friend. Making sure you're alright _is_ necessary. Second... Nanao has been avoiding me lately... I don't know why, and when I try to ask her, she changes the subject and escapes as quickly as possible..."

"You need to tell her soon... Don't wait like I did. Even with the war over, we're soldiers. The people around us can be taken away at any time." Juushiro yawned closed his eyes.

"You're right. I'll tell her as soon as I find out why she is avoiding me. Get some sleep. I'll make sure no one disturbs you." Shunsui rolled lazily to his feet and walked to the door, taking one look back at his friend before leaving the room.

Now to find Nanao and have a long talk with her.

Line -

"Please, Dad!" Karin begged, proving, possibly for the first time, that Yuzu had not inherited _all_ of the family's puppy-dog-eyes genes.

"Absolutely not. Eighteen is too young to leave the living world and become a soldier! You haven't even begun living your life yet! You have to stay. At least until you finish college, just like Ichigo did." Isshin remained adamant. There were few things in the last eighteen years that he had refused to his daughters, but this was one thing her knew Masaki would have agreed on.

"I already have a place in the Tenth Division! All I have to do is make it through the Shinigami Academy! What good will a college degree do for me there?"

"It's not about the degree. It's about the experience. They are four of the most important years of your life. Where you learn what you really value in life and decide where you want to go in the future. You're still too young to give up on this world just yet. Four years. Four years, and if you still want to join Ichigo in Soul Society, I will allow it." Isshin offered. It was the best he could do. He knew, if she decided to go against his wishes, there was not much he could do to stop her, and he would never use force to get his way. Not with his daughter.

"Fine... But I'm not going to change my mind. Five years didn't make a difference, four more won't either." She sighed in defeat and slowly made her way up the stairs. Isshin watched her go and shook his head. She had inherited her mother's stubbornness, as well as his.

"Dad... You aren't going to Soul Society yet, are you?" Yuzu's head peaked out from the kitchen. He shook his head.

"No, not yet. A human lifetime is usually pretty trivial to the Gotei 13. I may stay here as long as you or Karin do. You aren't going to beg me to let you go now as well, are you?"

"No. I want to stay here for a little longer. I was hoping I could learn enough to be a doctor, then maybe take lessons from the healers in Soul Society. I would like to be there with you all when I'm ready, but I don't want to fight..."

"Then I'll teach you everything I can to make sure you never have to!" Isshin grinned and scooped the girl into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Now go drag your sister down here. We'll be late for Ichigo's graduation!"


	45. Chapter 45

"Old Man, is there anything I should know before I do this?" Ichigo stood on the side of the sky scraper, addressing the manifestation of his Quincy powers. "I'd really like this to include no surprises."

"Only this. Before, when we fought Aizen, you were only merged with us for a short time, and our full attention was on defeating him and making you stronger. We disappeared from your inner world, but that did not actually mean we were no longer there. Even once you merge with him, if you wish to draw out his individuality without separating him from your soul, all you need to do is meditate as you do to enter this world, while in this world. You will enter the deepest part of your soul. He will be there. You can speak to him in that way, if you ever have such a desire." The old man explained. Ichigo nodded his understanding.

"I figured there must be something like that. I could still feel you both as completely unique aspects of my soul even after we merged. Alright. It's time. Zangetsu!" Ichigo shouted, and his hollow was by his side. "Are you ready for this?"

"I've been ready for this for years, King." The hollow drew his sword. The larger of Ichigo's Zanpakuto blades, which represented his fused Shinigami and Quincy powers. "King... Ichigo... Thank you, for keeping your promise. I have one more thing I would like you to promise me, Ichigo."

"What is it?" He no longer flinched at the thought of cooperating with his hollow. They had spent more time speaking on friendly terms in his inner world over the last four years. He would almost consider them friends.

"Protect our Queen. I like snow a hell of a lot more than rain." The hollow raised the sword, leveled it at Ichigo's chest, and then swiftly lunged forward. The blade slid into his twin with little resistance. Ichigo closed his own hand around the hilt, next to the hand of the hollow.

"I promise." They both knew who the Queen was. Only one person could turn the rain of his sorrow into snow.

The hollow dissolved before his eyes. The last thing to fade was the toothy grin. Like the Cheshire Cat. Ichigo turned to the old man.

"Do you want to merge as well? If I can still come to you for guidance, there is really no reason not to, is there?"

"When you invite us and accept us in to your soul, you are placing your trust in us. In the war, the Sealed King was able to turn my power back on you. I would be afraid of such a thing happening again, if I were to reside so deep within your soul. As he pointed out. My power is insignificant next to his. After all, he has the infinite potential of a living human, and a hollow's instinctive ability to draw out his full potential. I am content to remain here and look out for you as an observer."

"I understand. Will I still have two Zanpakuto?"

"Only when you wish it. When you call us to _protect and defend_ , he will answer. If you call us to _rise up and strike_ , I will answer. If you call for us to _never retreat_ , both of us will come to your hand. However, with him dwelling in the deepest part of your soul, and my power so small, we will likely remain in a sealed state rather than Shikai in the future."

"That will take some getting used to..." Ichigo looked at the sky. "Snowing again. Rukia must be back already. I need to go. Thank you, for lending me your wisdom, Zangetsu."

"It is what I live for. Go. See to your Queen."

Ichigo's eyes flickered open just as a light knock sounded at the door.

"Ichigo, are you alright in there?"

"Yeah. Just a sec." Ichigo stood up and sheathed his newly sealed Zanpakuto, then straightened the white haori over his shoulders before walking to the door and opening it. Once she saw his face, Rukia's anxiety melted away and was replaced by curiosity.

"It worked, then? You merged with Zangetsu?"

"Yeah. You've reported to Captain Ukitake?"

"I have. I also spoke to my brother. He has agreed to meet with you for lunch. What's that all about?"

"I need to talk to him about something private, as a fellow older brother." Ichigo gave her a cocky grin. "My Lieutenant has the division under control, and its a long time till lunch. Want to go see how everyone is settling in to the Academy?"

"You just want to show off your new Captain's haori, don't you?" Rukia tugged on the fabric. "It does look good on you. You go ahead. I want to go talk to Lieutenant Kotetsu in the fourth. I'll catch up with you later."

Line -

"That is quite a radical theory, Urahara. Do you have any evidence?" Mayuri asked. Although he generally disliked being associated with his former captain, he could not help but retain a great degree of respect for his mind.

"Not yet. It was not the focus of my research, it was just a thought I had. There is logic to support it, though. I was hoping you would be willing to help me with the proof aspect, if you are interested." Kisuke Urahara grinned. He knew his old subordinate would never pass up the opportunity for research in such an area.

"What logic is that, then?"

"Well, if we begin with the assumption that Humans, Shinigami, and Hollows came into existance at different times, then one must have come first, yes?"

"I agree. And it would be a logical next step that of the three, Humans must have come first, as it takes the souls of dead humans to become the other two."

"Exactly! From there, it is a question of which came second, Shinigami or Hollows. Since Hollows occur naturally, and would never be prevented in a world without Shinigami, I believe it is likely that Hollows came next. The only question then, is how Shinigami came to be, if no souls were being taken to Soul Society."

"And that is where you come up with your wild theory that Shinigami come from Hollows... It is ludicrous. However, it does merit further investigation. I will assign a team to it. They will report to _both_ of us, though. Don't forget, I am the Captain now."

"Of course. I am grateful. Your help on the specialized desert crops was invaluable as well." Urahara said, then turned to leave. "And even if she never mentions it, Hiyori was pleased that you showed up without the makeup and hat."

"Just get out. I have work to do." Mayuri dismissed the man grumpily. "He had only consented to forgoing his usual attire because he did not want to have to deal with the diminutive woman any longer than necessary.

Line -

"I imagine I am going to regret agreeing to this meeting." Byakuya commented evenly.

"Probably not as much as I will regret requesting it." Ichigo sighed and took the seat across the desk from the older captain.

"I do have other business that requires my attention, so if you do not mind, say what you need to say and get out."

"Alright." Ichigo reached into his pocket and handed a small box to Byakuya. "I want to ask for your permission to marry Rukia."

"Does that mean that if I refuse, you will respect my wishes and cease all romantic contact with my sister?" Byakuya opened the box and examined the ring. It was a simple but elegant silver band with small diamonds around the center. On the inside as an inscription of pure gold. _Black Sun_ and _White Moon_ with a pair of crossed blades in between.

"I'm sorry, but no. The only approval that will make a difference to me is hers. However, your approval would mean a lot to her. For what it is worth, it would mean a lot to me as well." Ichigo did not falter as he watched the man replace the ring in the box and return it.

"I see. She is a noble, and will be expected to marry another high ranking noble. You are asking me to jeopardize our family's noble standing."

"That's not really an issue and you know it. The Shiba clan was reinstated as the fifth great noble house after my father was granted a pardon for his years in the living world. I'm technically a high ranking noble, and a suitable husband as far as your family would be concerned." Ichigo smirked slightly. He had been disgusted by the idea of being a noble until he realized that it gave him some leverage with the Kuchiki clan leader.

"You have given this more thought than I had imagined. Very well, Kurosaki. I will give my consent on one condition. You must follow the standard courting procedures of the noble clans. At the end of such time, I will give my blessing for you to marry my sister."

"Alright. If that is what it takes." Ichigo stood up. "I'll let you get back to your work then."

"Not so fast. I see no reason we should not start now." Byakuya almost let a childish smirk break his mask when he saw the newly appointed captain freeze. He may just enjoy this after all.

Line -

"Sounds like you got more than you bargained for, just like I did, huh?" Shinji Hirako grinned at the orange haired hero sitting on the rooftop next to him. "Courting as a noble... Sounds like a nightmare come true. Makes me all the more grateful for my uncouth monkey."

"You had your wedding with the entire Twelfth Division. I'm not entirely sure I'm getting the worse deal." Ichigo laughed. Shinji nodded his agreement.

"I can't argue that. It was a bit weird, but she was happy. That's what really counts in the end, right?"

"Yeah. Kensei and Rose died in the war... You are a Captain, Lisa and Mashiro are Lieutenant's now. Love and Hachi are acting as Visored Ambassadors for the Delta Division. Hiyori is living in the Fifth with you. There are no more Visored in the living world, are there?"

"No... Your dad and sisters are the last people with significant spiritual power left down there. Once they move on, that's it. The ties between the living world and Soul Society that have been so strong for the last century will be gone."

"Is that really a good thing, though? Urahara insists that I spend one day out of every year in my living body to maintain a connection with it. He rattled off a bunch of science crap I didn't understand so he may have been making it up, but it sounded like the ties between our worlds was something he wanted to keep." Ichigo said. Shinji shrugged.

"Hard to tell, with that man. But if he thinks it is better, I'd be willing to place my bet with him. He have had a lot of unusually strong Shinigami in the last century, now I think about it. More Bankai have popped up since I was made Captain than in the thousand years previous... He may be on to something he doesn't want everyone knowing just yet."

"Isn't he always? Glad he's on our side. I _hope_ he's on our side. He makes it hard to tell sometimes." Ichigo remembered some of his training that had made him wonder if his best interests were really being factored in to consideration at all. Of course, the crazy scientist always managed to make him stronger.

"Captain! Your wife is looking for you! Oh, Captain Kurosaki. I apologize for interrupting." Lieutenant Momo Hinamori had appeared on the roof several paces away. Shinji sighed and waved a dismissive hand.

"Thanks, Momo. I'll be down in a minute."

"Yes sir." She bowed and flashed off the roof.

"That girl worries me." Shinji shook his head.

"What? Why?" Ichigo looked in the direction the girl had disappeared in. "I thought she had recovered from Aizen's betrayal."

"On the surface she has." Shinji said quietly. "But I know she's not completely right. She talks to herself when she is alone. She follows me like a lost puppy sometimes. She hasn't spent any time alone with any of her friends since the winter war. If I had to guess, I would say she made herself separate her world in her head. She accepted only as much as she had to in order to function, and she's living in a fantasy world where much of the horror she's witnessed and experienced just hasn't been recognized as truth."

"That... Is terrifying and concerning... Have you talked to anyone in the Fourth about this?"

"I have. Lieutenant Kotetsu thinks time and contact with others will eventually integrate what she has segmented off into her reality in a less violent way than direct confrontation. I'm not sure how to approach Captain Hitsugaya about the subject though. He is a bit hot headed, and he's still recovering from some trauma of his own."

"Yeah, being enslaved as a zombie must have been rough on him." Ichigo commented. Shinji raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Ah, I thought they would have told you, but Rukia was already in the living world when it occurred... The young captain struck up a close friendship with Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi. Some speculated it was rapidly moving past friendship."

"With Yachiru? I can't imagine that... They seem like almost complete opposites.

"Yes, well, it was rough at first, but they balanced each other out well. Then she died." Shinji watched the realization hit Ichigo.

"Kenpachi?"

"Also dead. I don't know all the details. You'd have to ask someone in the Eleventh, but I do know that Yachiru took down two rebel Sternritter before she died, and Kenpachi took down the remaining three. They were a band of five, specially created to destroy the Zero Division."

"I can't believe Kenpachi is dead..."

"Yeah. It was a dark day for Soul Society when they carried their bodies back. Ikkaku Madarame is captain now. Technically, he didn't meet the requirements, but no one wanted to try and take the position from him, and his Division respects him without question. It was easier to just allow it to slide. Anyway, Yachiru's death was hard on Hitsugaya. He's getting better, but it was so bad at one point that Matusmoto was doing the division's paperwork."

"SHINJI!" Hiyori snarled from the end of the roof. Shinji's eyes widened.

"Gotta run, Ichigo. See you later." The blonde captain disappeared in a flash, his wife hot on his heels.

Line -

"He's beautiful. Have you decided on a name yet?" Kukkaku Shiba had set her pipe aside and was holding the small, black haired child with her good arm. He had his mother's hair, but she could already tell he would look like his father.

"We wanted to ask you for permission to name him Kaien." Ichigo said slowly. "It was the only name that everyone agreed on, but I don't want to offend you if you are against it."

"Kaien... Kaien Kurosaki. I like it." Kukkaku smirked. "My brother would have, too. You may not have met him, but you sure took after him. I'd be proud for my cousin's son to bare his name."

"Where's Ganju? We wanted to tell him as well, before we made the official announcement." Rukia asked, looking around.

Kukkaku laughed.

"The idiot is on his way to the 4th Division to suggest you name your child Kaien."

Line -

"Captain, you have a visitor!" Rangiku Matsumoto said happily as she entered Toshiro Hitsugaya's office.

"Tell them I am busy, or have them wait for a few more minutes. I am nearly finished for the day. Is it urgent?" The white haired captain did not look up from the paper he was finishing.

"It is urgent, in a manner of speaking..." Matusmoto hid her grin.

"Somehow, you failed to convince me. Send them away." He was so close. Another line and a signature and he was done for the day.

"Oh, I don't think that would be a good idea. You _did_ make this appointment quite a long time ago. Nine years, I believe."

"Nine years? Why would I have made an appointment with anyone that long ago? I was still recovering from the war nine years ago..." Toshiro froze and blinked. "I see."

"Shall I send her in?" The well endowed lieutenant asked playfully. Her captain reluctantly nodded.

A few moments later, He tossed the completed document to the side and looked up to see a young woman entering his office. She had long black hair and the white and red garments of a student at the Academy.

"Karin Kurosaki. You're looking well."

"Thanks, you too, Shiro." Karin smirked at him and sat on his desk. Suddenly she frowned. "You've grown too... I thought for sure I would be taller than you now."

"I aged faster in the two years following the war. My power was completely obliterated when I was enslaved, and Shinigami aging is a function of our energy density. We're probably about the same age, physically." Toshiro stood up and looked her over. She stood up and grinned. He noticed they were eye to eye. "We are the same height..."

"Yes we are." Karin laughed. "I need to get back to the Academy. My classes begin tomorrow. I'll be back in six years to claim that position you promised me, though. Just you wait, Shiro."

"It's Captain Hitsugaya to you!" He called after her as she left the room. He growled and picked up his Zanpakuto as he left his office. His lieutenant fell in to step behind him when he stepped out of the room.

"You going to tell her that you already filled out the paperwork for her transfer to the Tenth?"

"Not until she finishes her first year or two. I don't want her slacking off." The white haired captain smiled. It might be fun, bossing around his former captain's daughter.

Line -

"Welcome to the First Division, Mizuiro Kojima." Nanao Ise greeted the smiling man as she led him to the division barracks. "Your exam scores were very impressive. Are you going to apply for a seated position?"

"Not yet. I think I would like to spend a year getting used to how everything works before I pick up more responsibility. Besides, I was only really good with Kidou. My swordsmanship still needs a lot of work." Mizuiro followed the Lieutenant closely, not wanting to get lost on his first day.

"That's not so uncommon. Renji Abarai is a good example of the very opposite. He was very skilled with his Zanpakuto, but can not cast even the simplest Kidou spells without blowing himself up, and he's a captain now. I, on the other hand, was promoted to Lieutenant for Kidou skills alone. That's not to say you should not make every effort to master all the arts, but it is not necessarily going to be the thing that determines how far you will go."

"Really? That is incredible." He stopped and looked in to the room she had stopped in front of.

"This is where you will be keeping your personal belongings and sleeping. Showers are in the next three rooms, and the woman's barracks is in the next building. If you need the Captain, myself, or the Third through Fifth seat, we are all located in the building at the end. Our sleeping quarters and our offices are there. The Sixth through Twentieth seated officers are located in the building on the other end. Meals will be served in the barracks commons near the low seated officers' building. Most of your training will be seen to in the courtyard in the center of the Division."

"I think I got it..." Mizuiro smiled sheepishly. "It's a lot more complicated than the Academy. It will take a little time to get used to."

"Not as long as you might think. And if you get lost, don't worry about it. Just ask for directions. The Seireitei is hard to navigate, even for some of the most experienced officers." Nanao smiled kindly and walked down the hall further. "There is a trick to navigating this place though. When I was young, the Lieutenant at the time showed me."

At the end of the hall, she stopped and placed her hand on the wall, running her fingers down it. She stopped and smiled.

"On every corner in Seireitei, there are three symbols. The center symbol tells you what division grounds you are in. Then the symbols on either side tell you what division lies in that direction. If you know that, and you can remember the basic layout of the divisions, you should never get too lost."

"Thanks you, Lieutenant Ise." Mizuiro felt the marks, then tried to look for them. "They are almost invisible if you don't know what to look for... Why did they make them so hard to find?"

"The Seireitei was, and still is, a military compound. It was designed to make invasion very difficult. Road maps would have helped invaders and allies alike, so instead they built in a far more subtle guide. Unfortunately, almost no one knows about the marks. They went out of public knowledge around 900 years ago, not long after the founding of the Gotei 13."

"That's interesting... I'll keep it to myself then, unless someone really needs the help." He bowed to the woman. "Thank you again for showing me around."

"You are welcome. Now, you should probably go and meet your fellow division members in the barracks before dinner."

Line -

Orihime was exhausted. The Captain Commander had assigned her the Fourth Seat of the Fourth Division and, after she healed his missing eye, she had been working constantly for the last twelve hours. Now, with the division doors closed, she was finally able to rest.

Then she heard a knock at her door. She groaned, flailing her hands and feet silently in frustration before rising to her feet and opening the door.

"Uryu! What are you doing here this late? Are you hurt?!"

"No, I'm fine, don't worry!" He put his hands on her shoulders to calm her. "I heard you had a rough day so I brought you dinner. I thought you might enjoy a chance to relax. If you would rather just rest, I'll leave it for you and see you later. I don't want to keep you up."

"No, stay... I can rest with company, you know. At least with your company." She yawned. He smiled and followed her in to the room.

Line -

"Excellent work, Tsumugiya." Byakuya Kuchiki nodded his approval at the stack of paperwork that had just been deposited on his desk.

"Thank you, Sir." Ururu smiled happily and picked up another stack of papers.

"No, take a break. You've already completed more than I had anticipated getting done today. There is no need for you to be doing the work of a Lieutenant until you have reached that rank. You are dismissed. You will return for training at precisely eight in the morning tomorrow."

"Yes sir!" Ururu happily left the captain's office to visit Jinta in the neighboring division. When she arrives, she is just in time to watch the red head tossed in to the air like a leaf on the wind before crashing back to the dirt.

"Better, but this time, try to guide my attack around you. When I come down it's not such a big deal, but an upward strike can make your stance completely useless." Renji Abarai readied his sword for another blow, then noticed the girl standing at the entrance. He let his blade lower slowly. "Hey, Ururu. Good first day?"

"Yes!" The girl came to join the two red headed shinigami cautiously. "Mr. Urahara invited us to dinner this evening, Jinta."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Probably just gonna spend the whole time flirting with the waitress or something." Jinta scowled, then shrugged. "But I can't turn down the free food."

"You're free to go. We can pick up tomorrow." Renji slid his Zanpakuto back in to his belt and turned away. "I'm gonna go find some food of my own."

When he was gone, Ururu turned back to Jinta.

"You seem to be getting along better than before."

"Yeah... Well, I didn't expect him to be such a good Captain..." Jinta sheathed his own sword and crossed his arms. "I'm glad I chose his division, even if I meant to harass him at first."

"Awww... You've gone and grown up, Jinta!" Ururu laughed cheerfully, then cried as her hair was tugged suddenly. "Ow! Stop it Jinta!"

Line -

"Keigo Asano is here to see you." Lisa Yadomaru leaned in the door. Ichigo sighed and nodded. A few moments later, the excited man came running in to his office.

"Ichigo!" Keigo was about to leap over the desk and tackle his friend when Ichigo's foot appeared directly in front of his face. "Woah, that was fast... You've gotta teach me that!"

"They taught you flash step in the Academy. You've gotta practice on your own or with the division. And I can't teach you Sonido." Ichigo sighed and was back behind his desk in an instant.

"Why not? It can't be that hard! I bet I can do it before Chad!"

"Neither of you are ever going to do it. It's a hollow ability. Neither of you are part hollow, and neither of you are going to become part hollow, got it?!" Ichigo glared over the desk. "What did you want, anyway? You have to have something better to do with your time than annoy me."

"I... wanted to ask if I can apply for a position at the Twentieth Seat level. I know I probably can't make it yet, but I want to see what I need to do to reach that point. That's my goal right now. To become a seated officer." Keigo sat across the desk from his friend. "Mizuiro went to the First Division, and he's already talking about moving in to a seated position in the next year or so. Chad and Orihime both got high seats right away. Even Tatsuki got a high seat! I want to make it to a seated position before my sister does."

"Huh... Alright, I'll put you down as an applicant for the Twentieth Seat... Good luck, Keigo. I'm impressed you're really going for it. I can't give you special treatment, but I can make sure that training is paced and available to help you get where you want to be." Ichigo smirked. "I bet my sister beats you to a seated position, though."

"That's not fair! She's got your family's super blood, doesn't she?!"

"Yeah. She might graduate early at this rate."

"Not fair..." Keigo slumped in his chair.

Line -

"Woah, she grew up cute..." Chizuru watched the black haired shinigami dancing around the training area, the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division sitting beside her. "I haven't seen her since she was just a little kid..."

"Hey, remember, Captain saw her first, and if you grope her, you have to deal with him _and_ her brother." Rangiku laughed. Although Chizuru had not been assigned a seated position, she had proven to be a good friend for the woman. Between her, the Division, and Shuhei, it was rare for Rangiku to feel the loneliness that had plagued her after Gin's death.

"Ha... Ichigo could vaporize me without lifting a finger, couldn't he?" Chizuru grinned warily. It was strange, knowing that a man who had once been her classmate was widely considered the most powerful man in all of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo together.

"Yup. Both of us, and the captain too."

In the middle of the enclosure, Karin was focused entirely on her opponent. Her new Captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya of the Tenth Division.

"Excellent. Now try it again, only this time, merge the moves together. The biggest openings are those between attack and defense. You have to be able to minimize these openings for yourself, and exploit them in you opponents." The white haired man instructed as he flicked his blade at her again.

"Like this?" She barely moved her blade to deflect the blow, then stepped in close without taking an instant to regroup. Her sword touched his chest and he grinned.

"Just like that. Alright. That's enough for today, Third Seat Kurosaki."

"I keep telling you, Karin is fine." She scowled at him but sheathed her sword and followed him to where the two observers sat. "Chizuru, I can feel you staring at my butt from all the way over there."

"I have no idea what you might be referring to." Chizuru smiled innocently. "I was simply enchanted by your elegant swordsmanship."

Karin rolled her eyes but didn't press the issue. From what she had heard, the woman was mostly harmless.

Line -

"You know, you're the first person to hold that seat in decades. Well done." Ikkaku walked away from the woman who was panting on the packed earth. Beside her, the Sixth Seat of the Eleventh Division lay unconscious.

"Thank you, Sir." She struggled to her knees and bowed. He waved it off.

"Yumi! Get her to the Fourth! That fool on the ground, too! You held that seat vacant for a long time, I don't want it open again cause we didn't get her lungs repaired in time." Ikkaku shouted to his friend. The elegant man flashed to the woman's side and lifted her carefully in his arms.

"Nicely done. It was nice to see that man eating dirt at someone else's hand for a change. He spent the last fifty years trying to take my position. I got rather tired of beating the ugly out of him." Yumichika flash stepped quickly and smoothly to the Fourth Division. The Lieutenant was not in, which explained why his friend had not come instead.

Back at the Eleventh Division, Mizuho Asano glared daggers at the tall, silver haired healer. The Lieutenant of the Fourth Division was talking happily to the Captain of the Eleventh, and he was standing far to close to her for the comfort of his admirer.

Not only had another woman already stepped in and claimed the bald warrior, but the first woman since the first Kenpachi to hold a seat in the Eleventh Division wasn't her! She was slightly furious at how things had played out. The Twentieth Seat had wiped the floor with her, and that was it. The division didn't allow rematches within three days, and she couldn't challenge anyone else because there was only one person at any seat. Granted, the turnover rate of the Twentieth Seat of the Eleventh Division was the single highest in all of Soul Society, so she would probably be facing someone else next time.

Still, it wasn't fair. She had joined the division just to see her old crush, and here he was spending his time with the weakest Lieutenant in the whole Seireitei? Her brother would laugh if he knew. Then she'd punch him through a window.

Line -

"What exactly do you mean?" Ukitake asked, not quite able to believe what he was hearing.

"In the living world, parents will often assign a godparent to their children, in case something where to happen to them. In addition to promising to care for the child should the parents die, the godparent is also encouraged to play a part in raising the child" Rukia explained. "Although with the Delta Division working to ensure no more wars erupt, I would like for you to be the godparent for our son."

"I... I would be honored." Ukitake smiled brightly as he gently held the child. "I never thought I would be able to be part of a child's life like this... Thank you, Lieutenant Kuchi-... Lieutenant Kurosaki."

"I'm the one who's honored, Sir. My brother gave me a knew life, but it was you, Kaien, and Miyako that really made me the woman I am today. There is no one I would rather have help us raise our child than you." Rukia ran her fingers through the child's hair. "He's going to be a handful, even for three of us. I can tell that already."

"I'm sure you're right about that. But then, it would be boring otherwise, wouldn't it?"


	46. Chapter 46

"I guess I'm the little sister now, huh?" Karin hugged her twin, who was now almost ten years older than when they had parted. "It's good to see you, Yuzu."

"I missed you, Karin." Yuzu stepped away from her sister and smiled. "Dad's on his way. Brace yourself."

"Thanks for the warning." Karin and Yuzu stepped apart as their father flew between them and on to the ground.

"My beautiful daughters! Why do you abuse me so?!" He jumped to his feet and put an arm around each of them, pulling them close. "Let's go find that rotten brother of yours. It's been a while since we were all together as a family."

Karin only shrugged, but Yuzu grinned with excitement. As they walked, the two sisters filled each other in on what had happened since they last spent time together. Karin had earned a medical degree and worked side by side with her father for several years. Now she was planning to join the Fourth Division and continue working with him.

They found Ichigo sooner than they expected, as he was walking quickly toward the First Division. When he saw his father and sisters, he froze and the scowl dropped off his face for a moment.

He waited for his father to launch at him before he moved to Yuzu's side with a slight static crackle.

"Hey. I expected you to hang around the living world for a bit longer. Get tired of the old man?" Ichigo hugged his sister, then held out and hand to stop his father's next assault without looking.

"No, but I missed you and Karin, and I felt like I had enough experience that I could be of some use here." Yuzu shook her head at her father's antics. "And I guess it won't be so bad having his focus split between all three of us again..."

Line -

"Shunsui! Get out here!" Ichigo shouted at the door. "Ise, I'm going to kick your captain's ass, if there is anything you'd like to add on!"

"Oh, what has he done now?" Lieutenant Ise Nanao stepped out of the next door, a book gripped dangerously in one hand, ready to pile her own punishment on the lazy man.

"He's been teaching Kaien an endless stream of shenanigans to get him in trouble, and by extension, get me in trouble. Kaien went and died Byakuya's haori pink. I'm lucky I'm not farting flower petals." Ichigo turned back to the slab of wood standing between him and his target. "Shunsui, if you don't open this door, you'll just have to put up a new one tomorrow!" Nanao winced in sympathy, both for her captain, who was facing imminent doom, and for the orange haired captain, who had dealt with the wrath of Captain Kuchiki.

"Alright, alright. I surrender! I do apologize, Captain Kurosaki! Kaien just overheard Juushiro and I reminiscing over our academy days! I promise, I was not passing ideas along with the intention of corrupting the young minds of the Seireitei!" The captain commander of the Gotei 13 slowly eased the door open, hands up in a gesture of peace. For a moment, it looked like he had talked his way out of it. Then Ichigo snatched the book from Nanao's hands and smacked the man's head so hard his hat was left floating for several seconds before it reunited with its host.

"Don't you start with that formal crap! I've told everyone a dozen times, it is Ichigo! Captain Ichigo if you absolutely have to! I'm not going to put up with two people being called 'Captain Kurosaki'!" The orange haired hero returned the book to the startled lieutenant and sighed. "Hey, Ise, Lisa wants to know what night you have off. She wants to take off and catch up some."

"Oh! I am free tomorrow, if that is convenient for her." Nanao clutched her book possessively, slightly at a loss for what to do when she was not the one wielding it as a weapon.

"I'll let her know." He turned back to the older captain, who was sitting on the floor and leaned casually against the wall, as if he had not just been brutalized with a fantasy novel. "If my son puts any more of your stories in to action, you're head's gonna get introduced to the entire Seireitei library."

Ichigo waved his goodbye casually to the pair left behind him. Down the hall, Mizuiro chuckled to himself. He would tell his friend later that he was the one who suggested to the boy that he try out some of the experienced trouble maker's ideas. But it would be much, much later. Long enough that he would not be introduced to any large books.

Line -

"In cooperation with Captain Kurotsuchi and the Twelfth Division, I now have evidence to support a theory that will change the way we look at our place in the world." Kisuke Urahara stood in front of the room, no trace of his usual carelessness on his face or in his voice. "We have known for centuries that Hollows and Shinigami all have a limit beyond which no amount of training will help them reach. Until now, we have never know what exactly sets these limits, only that they are set in stone."

"However, that is only a small part of what our research has uncovered." Mayuri Kurotsuchi took over. "Urahara came to me with his theory a year ago and requested my resources in investigating its merit. Although I thought it was mad at first, further observation has revealed it to be close to the mark and a great step forward in understanding out world."

"Shinigami have always worked on the principal that we serve a unique function in the world. We purify Hollows and guide souls to Soul Society. But what if there were no Shinigami? Would hollows consume all the souls? It seems like the logical conclusion if we truly are the only way to Soul Society. But if we take a moment to think back, the Gotei 13 was founded only 2000 years ago, and there were plenty of souls here at that time. How, then did they get here? For that matter, how did Shinigami arise as a separate variety of soul?" Urahara watched the group carefully, seeing if he was pulling them along his train of thought.

"Our world has proven time and time again that it works on laws that we have yet begun to fully understand. It has also proven to be very cleaver in enforcing these rules. The world requires balance. It would follow that such a cleaver world would not naturally jeopardize its own balance, would it not? So why, then, would lost souls become Hollows if such a phenomenon would only lead to the collapse of the world as souls never returned to the living world?" Mayuri was rocking back and forth on the spot. He had not felt so excited about a discovery in centuries.

"It stands to reason that, in some way, Hollows maintained balance before Shinigami even existed. But how? They are creatures of pure instinct who are driven by an insatiable desire to devour souls to fill the void inside their hearts. What then? They eat and eat until they evolve. They ascend to Gillians. From there they become Adjuchas. Then they finally become Vasto Lorde. But have we ever observed what happens next? Not before now." Urahara turned to the door to the chamber and gestured. Hiyori rolled her eyes and knocked twice.

Outside, Akon heard the signal and opened the door, leading in a thin man with plain brown hair and sharp eyes, and a small girl who was casting distrustful glares around the room.. Shunsui Kyoraku and Juushiro Ukitake leaped to their feet and reached for their swords, but Urahara held up his hands for them to remain calm.

"In our search for answers, we found these two in the Rukongai. The former Primera Espada." Mayuri indicated the two. "We have checked the nature of their riatsu as well as their physical forms. They have no hole, which alone indicates they are not a hollow. Their riatsu confirms this. They are Shinigami. The death of the Primera Espada during the Winter War immediately preceded a large spike in the population of the Rukongai. Originally we carelessly attributed this to deaths in the living world. Now we know better."

"In his life as a Vasto Lorde and an Arrancar, they were a single being on a fundamental level. Now, they are two separate souls again. A Vasto Lorde typically contains several hundred thousand souls. The density of these souls is reflected in their power. It is accurate to imagine a Vasto Lorde, or any powerful hollow, as concentric layers of souls. The central soul is the consciousness of the being and the center of power. This soul has access to all the knowledge and collective strength of those beneath. As the layers pile up, those within have less power and less individuality. However, upon the death of the hollow, the souls are released. Now we believe the power is retained, proportional to the position of the soul among the layers."

"This would mean that every Shinigami came from the death of a Hollow. The more powerful the Shinigami, the more powerful the hollow was, and the closer to the core that Shinigami's soul came from. The next question we needed to address was how a hollow would die before Shinigami existed to purify them." Mayuri paced slowly in front of the room. "For this, we turned to a parallel model to the living world."

"In the living world, density has certain effects on the object. The most extreme examples are stars who's mass exceeded what their structure could sustain, and they collapsed in upon themselves. In the case of a powerful Vasto Lorde who has devoured millions of souls, the spiritual pressure caused by their density would exceed what their reishi constructed bodies could hold. As they cross that threshold, they would collapse, very much like a star. The souls would then be sent to Soul Society, and from their, they would be reincarnated into the living world." Urahara explained.

"The Shinigami created in this way would have the same limit as the position within their constituent hollow would allow. After a time, enough powerful Shinigami existed in Soul Society that they began gathering together. It was in this way that the Seireitei came to be." Mayuri turned his attention back to Starrk. "This man, now a Shinigami, will be able to achieve the same level of power as he held as an Arrancar, and not a fraction more."

"We know now, Hollows are not truly our mortal enemies. They are not evil. They were a natural part of the cycle of souls, created by this world to maintain balance, just like Shinigami." Urahara smiled as he saw the understanding in the eyes of the assembled captains. "And this is not only true of Hollows, but Quincy as well. Just as mass and energy can not truly be created or destroyed, souls can not be so easily obliterated."

"We saw Quincy killing hollows, but no souls coming to Soul Society and we made the only assumption we could. They were being destroyed, which was fundamentally abhorrent to Shinigami who took it upon themselves to protect the souls of the dead. Once again, we did not look close enough. When a Quincy destroys a Hollow or Shinigami, the soul does not return to Soul Society. It is sent directly in to the reincarnation cycle."

"This served to only exaggerate the imbalance we believed they were creating. In this, we were correct. The flourishing of the Quincy and their success in the destruction of Hollows was creating a terrible imbalance between the living and spirit worlds. However, with souls no longer in danger of annihilation, compromise could have been found. We have a chance to make such compromise now." Urahara made another gesture and three individuals came to stand at his side. "The Delta Division would like to request your cooperation and aide in making this knowledge public so that we can finally make peace with the Quincy and end unnecessary hostility with Hueco Mundo."

"You are certain of the results you have presented to us?" The Captain Commander asked cautiously. Mayuri and Urahara nodded together. "Then we will put it to a vote at once. Those in favor of making this knowledge public for the sake of peace?"

Shunsui Kyoraku watched as the hands around him rose. Soifon looked torn, but ended up voting in favor of the decision. Izuru Kira, Isshin Kurosaki, Shinji Hirako, Byakuya Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, Ichigo Kurosaki, Shuhei Hisagi, Toshirou Hitsugaya, Ikkaku Madarame, and Juushiro Ukitake all added their hands to the vote. Whether Mayuri abstained from voting because he was against peace or because he was acting as a scientist, not a captain, would remain unknown.

"Very well. The Gotei 13 have no objection. The Delta Division has our support in taking this step towards lasting peace." Shunsui stood. "This meeting is over. Have a nice afternoon, everyone."

Line -

It was a cool, clear day in the Seireitei. At the bank of the river, two old friends lay side by side, their feet dangling in the water. Shunsui had his straw hat hiding hald his face, keeping the sun out of his eyes and his pink kimono folded beneath his head as a pillow. His white captain's haori was hung over a branch in a nearby tree, along with that of his best friend.

Beside him Juushiro was stretched out on top of his black Shihakusho with his hands behind his head. His long white hair was tied back and his Zanpakuto was leaned against the tree together with Shunsui's. They had sparred for the first time in centuries and were enjoying the nice weather as they had once done regularly.

"We need to do this more often..." Juushiro stretched and yawned, grinning into the clear blue sky. "I haven't felt this good since our academy days, Shunsui."

"It's working, then? Isshin found a real cure?" Shunsui propped himself up on his elbows and studied his friend in profile. In only a matter of weeks, the difference the treatments had made was incredible. For centuries, Captain Ukitake had only had brief periods of time where he was fit for combat, and even then he was easily exhausted. Now he had all the strength and power of a man in his prime again. It had been the first time since they were very young that he had not been the one to call an end to their match.

"Yes... I think he has..." Juushiro closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His lungs no longer ached. His throat did not threaten to fight against him. "Who would have thought that the healers of the living world, without Kido, would have surpassed us in the art while we weren't looking? The human race is incredible."

"Indeed they are. A cure... After all these years, it was as simple as a little human medicine." Shunsui chuckled and looked up the river to where his Lieutenant and his friend's two third seats were enjoying their own day off. Ise Nanao had her back to a tree several yards from the water, reading a thick book. The other two were arguing and wresting in the shallows. Occasionally one would gain the upper hand and hurl the other in to the deep water, earning a long string of profanity for their trouble. "How did those two react?"

"They still want to do everything for me, but they are starting to let me resume some of my responsibilities as captain. I can at least take care of part of Rukia's work, since she has her time split between acting as my Lieutenant, acting as Ichigo's wife, and acting as Byakuya Kuchiki's sister and heir." Juushiro stretched and sat up, then leaped to his feet in a single, graceful movement. "Hey, Shunsui?"

"Yeah, Juushiro?" The dark haired captain grinned and pushed his hat back, rising to his feet slowly and turning to his friend.

"It's been far too long since I have been able to keep up with you and your mischief, my dear friend. What do you say to a little fun, like our Academy days? Surely the two of us could come up with a suitable plot or scheme to liven up our officers if we put our minds to it!"

"It is good to have my faithful conspirator back!" Shunsui laughed and leaned in. "I assume you have an idea, like you always did?"

Juushiro only grinned.

Line -

"Kaien! It hurts!" Kirio was laying on the ground, crying out in pain. From her mouth, eyes, ears, and nose came a constant stream of thick white liquid that moved to cover her face. "Help me!"

"Kirio! Hold on! I'll get my dad!"

"No! Please, don't leave me!" Kirio was clawing at the white substance, chipping it away almost as fast as it was hardening, but it was slowly gaining ground.

Kaien stood frozen for one moment, then lifted her and began carrying her toward the Seireitei.

"Kaien... I can't hold on..." Kirio's breath was coming in short gasps now, her eyes clenched in pain as her face was covered completely by a mask of bone. "Run... I don't want to hurt you..."

"No! I won't leave you!" Kaien concentrated and flash stepped several yards, but could not maintain the pace while carrying her. The roofs of the division were in sight now. "We're almost there... Don't give up..."

"You did well, Kaien."

The black haired boy recognized the voice instantly.

"Captain Hirako! She needs help!" Kaien almost collapsed as the girl was easily lifted from his arms. Shinji gave him a calm smile.

"We'll take care of her. Don't worry. You need to get to class, now. You're going to be late again, and she'll want you to get her missed work." The blonde captain turned and walked quickly toward the Fifth Division as his wife fell in to step beside him.

"She'll be okay, Kaien." Ichigo had arrived and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "She's as strong as her father and as stubborn as her mother. A little thing like Hollowfication won't keep her down for long at all."

"Are you sure?" Kaien leaned against Ichigo's side as his legs finally gave out from the exertion of carrying his friend at flash step pace. "What is she can't overcome it?"

"Her inner hollow doesn't want to kill her. She isn't a visored. She's like us. She was born both Shinigami and Hollow. It is a fundamental part of her, and in the end, it will never destroy her."

"Will I go through Hollowfication?" Kaien looked up at his father. Ichigo nodded.

"You will. And I'll be there for you when you do. Kirio will want you to be there for her this evening when she has recovered some. Shinji was right. You need to get to class."

Line -

"This is not a good idea, Captain!" Ise Nanao whispered urgently. "Of all the Arrancar, why would you choose this one to be the first to join the Gotei 13?"

"Ichigo recommended four Arrancar to act as test cases. Two of them are acting as ambassadors, and one is the acting queen of Hueco Mundo. Grimmjow was the only remaining option. I trust Ichigo's judgment on this." Shunsui brushed off his Lieutenant's complaints lightly. "From what I heard, he was one of the most eager to fight by Ichigo's side when he went to Hueco Mundo for allies."

"That may be, but..."

"Nanao." Shunsui stopped walking and turned to her, causing her to stop short and blush as she nearly ran into his chest. "I understand your concern, but what would you have me do? Choose someone that no one has any experience with? Refuse to give this a chance entirely? I think that this is the best balance between caution and taking a chance for peace. Will you support me?"

"Captain..." Nanao sighed and looked up at him. "Yes. Always, you know that."

"Thank you. If this goes horribly wrong, I give you permission to tell me you told me so." Shunsui smiled warmly at her then turned and continued walking. "We need to hurry or we'll be late."

"Yes, Captain."

When they arrived, Grimmjow was already present.

"Captain Commander Kyoraku. I'm here, just like you asked. What is this about?" The feral looking man glanced suspiciously at the woman holding the large book.

"A suggestion has been brought forward by the Delta Division. An act of good faith between the Gotei 13 and the Arrancar. We are going to allow you the opportunity to join our ranks. It is... kind of a pilot program. In the future, because of this attempt, it may be that Arrancar and Shinigami will fight side by side as frequently as they do with their own brothers." Shunsui explained.

"And who would I be working for? What captain is willing to allow a hollow in to their ranks?" Grimmjow crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ichigo Kurosaki will be your captain. I trust you have no objections?"

"Kurosaki? The kid is a captain now?" Grimmjow considered it for a moment. "Sure. If there is one Shinigami I could fight under, it's him."

"Good. In that case, report to the Eighth Division immediately. He's expecting you."

Line -

It was strange being in a place like this. His memories of his past life was hazy at best, but he knew it had been miserable. He had been so lonely... Lonely enough to split his soul to create a companion that would stay by his side... But now, she was no longer a part of his soul, and had no memory of him. She was the only thing he remembered clearly, and it hurt that she looked at him like a stranger.

"Something on your mind, Starrk?" Juushiro Ukitake sat beside the former Espada and offered a friendly smile. "Do you remember me?"

"Vaguely. I know you didn't hurt Lilynette even though you could have easily overpowered and killed her... Thank you."

"I love children too much to ever fight against them. It pains me to allow them to fight in the Gotei 13 at all. Hopefully we are on our way to a future where they will not have to." Ukitake looked around. "Where is your little friend anyway?"

"She... Doesn't remember me. The only reason your scientists found us in the same place was because I have been protecting her without her knowing since we died." Starrk slumped forward. "I wish I knew why I remember and she doesn't..."

"It's more unusual that _you_ remember anything than it is that she does not. Time in the Rukongai erase memories of our past lives. Usually for our own benefit. Only a few in history have had bonds so strong that they transcended death."

"She was a part of my soul. She was my only real friend. Like a daughter or little sister. And now she's a stranger..." Starrk looked over at the man next to him. "What would you do?"

"Tell her the truth. Try to get to know her again. Look at things from her perspective. A strange man she has never met believes he knows her. You can see why she would be hesitant to trust you at first." Ukitake said. "But even though the Rukongai may erase out memories, some bonds are forever. You may find that even if she never remembers you, you fit together as if you have always been that way. You won't know unless you let go of the past and move toward the future."

"You're right, I suppose." Starrk stood up and looked around lazily. "I'll find her and tell her everything later. Right now, I need a nap."


	47. Chapter 47

"Why did you turn down the Quincy King?" Urahara leaned casually against the wall of the dark chamber but kept his eyes fixed warily on the other man.

Sousuke Aizen sat, as he had for over a decade, strapped to a sturdy metal chair, bound head to toe. Urahara had removed his gag and uncovered his ears for the moment, but when the visit was over, he would once again be plunged into complete solitude.

"He wanted me to be his subordinate. You know that would never satisfy me." Aizen grinned. Urahara didn't buy it any more than he had expected him to. "You would not have come here if you didn't already know the answer."

"I figured you'd say that. That means I am almost surly right. I really wanted to be wrong this time." Urahara shook his head.

"Ah, but you and I are never wrong, are we? The fool Yhwach believed Ichigo wouldn't resort to using his Hollow side. _He_ was wrong. That is what happens to great people who make mistakes. We're different. We both see more than just our corners of the game board. We see all the pieces. We don't make mistakes." Aizen locked eyes with the only man he considered his mental equal. "You have another question for me, don't you?"

"I do. But it seems pointless to ask. You already know the question, and I already know the answer. Just as you said, you and I do not make mistakes. I suppose it was wishful thinking that drove me here, seeking to be wrong."

"I'm afraid you'll have to go elsewhere if that is what you desire. It may set your mind at ease if you ask it aloud though."

"You just don't want your only company in years to leave yet." Urahara stepped forward to refasten the straps. Aizen sighed, but did not protest.

"The game isn't over yet, is it?" Urahara paused and asked quietly. Aizen grinned.

"No. Not yet."

The straps quickly blocked out all noise and light as his face was covered once again. Urahara resisted the urge to kick the chair over and leave the mad man on his side. It would serve only to give away his own frustration to the enemy. Instead, he satisfied himself by ensuring the straps were tightened as far as they would go.

Line -

"Are you sure about this?" Captain Commander Kyoraku asked. He knew the man was almost certainly right, but he hoped it might be a poorly chosen joke.

"I am. I did not take the time to address it at the time, but Aizen passed up the opportunity to take his freedom during the war. There is only one reason for that. It was part of his plan. Presumably, even his imprisonment was a part of his plan. The question becomes, what is his final goal? If he had joined the Quincy and turned on them, he could have easily destroyed the Soul King and taken his place as he originally claimed to desire. Instead, he chose to remain imprisoned. Why?" Urahara clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides as he quickly paced back and forth in front of the older shinigami.

"Something he could accomplish without leaving his cell..." Lieutenant Nanao Ise whispered to herself.

"No. Worse. Something he could _only_ accomplish without leaving his cell." Urahara stopped and looked up at the Captain Commander. "Aizen is exactly where he wants to be. The war played out according to his predictions. Which means our current course is in the palm of his hand, as it has been for the better part of two centuries. We must act with caution and keep alert for his next move. And I think this should remain between us, for now. If this is not handled carefully, we risk missing something vital."

"I agree. For now, we will wait, and hope that whatever it is he is planning becomes clear before it is too late." Shunsui thought for a moment. "Give some thought to who you would recommend for a mission to counteract his activities, should it come to that. I will want your advice in that event. You are the only one who could beat Aizen at his own game."

"I have already thought on that, but I'll hold off my decision until that time comes."

Line -

"You can't be serious..." Uryu raised an eyebrow at his friend. Ichigo laughed.

"I am. Yuzu doesn't want to ever awaken her inner hollow, so she drew out her Quincy powers instead. She's the first Shinigami and Quincy hybrid in Soul Society. She needs someone to teach her. So, will you?"

"You know very well I can't refuse. Don't ask stupid questions." Uryu sighed and rolled his eyes. "She knows that Quincy don't have much in the way of healing techniques, doesn't she?"

"She does. She wants to be able to defend herself and those she heals. Although between my father, my sister, and myself, hopefully she will never have to be the one defending anyone."

"You can't be everywhere all the time. She's a wise girl. No idea where she gets that. Are you sure she isn't adopted?" Uryu smirked as Ichigo punched him lightly. "I'll teacher her all I know. Don't worry, Ichigo."

"I'm not worried. Thanks. How's Orihime doing?"

"She's doing very well. Her first weeks were hectic, but she's been much more relaxed since then. The benefits of an age of peace. Injuries are seldom and rarely severe."

"We can only hope it lasts." Ichigo looked over to his friend. "The Delta Division is already making a real difference. They let Grimmjow join my division a few days ago. He's my Fourth Seat now. He's a colossal ass, but he's strong, and surprisingly loyal."

"Huh, loyal and a colossal ass? I can't imagine why they put him in _your_ division. You're nothing alike at all!" Uryu grinned. "What about Starrk and Lilynette?"

"Lilynette is a junior member of the Thirteenth Division and taking part time classes in the Academy. Starrk is... adjusting. He spends most of his time either sleeping or avoiding the Academy. Ukitake says everything will be alright though. I trust him."

"He's a good man and a good captain." Uryu glanced toward the Thirteenth Division. "I was wrong about a lot of things, as far as Shinigami go... I should have listened better when my grandfather taught me."

"Yeah, well, everyone knows you're a stubborn idiot sometimes."

"Must be why we get along so well."

Line -

Omeada was busily cowering behind a large outcropping of rocks. Of all the places he could be spending his day, why did it have to be in a giant underground room with two terrifying women and two even more terrifying children?

"Almost had her that time! Nice job Kaien! Now, try it again, only this time with the weights!" Yoruichi Shihoin called out to her pupil. He flashed to a pile of equipment and strapped two thin strips of fabric to his legs. The fabric stretched out to cover him from ankle to mid thigh, then increased in weight until it was a struggle for most Shinigami to stand. She turned her attention to the other student. "Kirio! It's your turn to take a break! Hit the hot spring!"

Kirio Hirako, who had been running a long set of exercises, gratefully abandoned the task and ran for the refreshing water. Soifon took only an instant to catch her breath before flash stepping back in to the chase with the black haired boy.

"Good, but you have to be better if you want to catch my Little Bee! There are only two people in Soul Society faster than her, and you aren't one of them yet!" Yoruichi watched as the boy sped across the terrain as gracefully as he had unburdened, and only a small amount slower. Kisuke had warned her that he would learn at a rate she would be hard pressed to keep up with.

She had agreed to the training without any thought, but in only three days, he was almost ready to take her on himself. The girl, on the other hand, was learning at a far more reasonable pace. She seemed frustrated that she could not keep up with her friend, but also seemed to accept that he was always going to have an edge she did not.

"Yes!" Kaien shouted in triumph as his fingers lunged forward and yanked the strip of silk from the ninja's waist. "I did it!" He came to a stop and held his fist aloft, the soft material dangling as proof that he had accomplished his task. Yoruichi sighed. It was time for her to show him he still had at least a day or two before he was a real master.

"Good job, Kaien. Now, your next challenge. Take it from me." He blinked as the silk vanished from his fingers and seemed to appear at her waist. "Your father is the only person in history to match me. Can you rise to that level?"

Line -

"No, try it again." Grimmjow growled. This was insulting. He was a former Espada, not a babysitter! Kaien Kurosaki concentrated, and finally, a small ball of red energy appeared in the palm of his hand. Almost as soon as it appeared, it exploded, sending the boy and the Arrancar flying to the ground several yards away. "Damn it! You have to keep concentrating after you make the stupid thing!"

"Ha... Sorry..." Kaien pushed himself off the ground and grinned at the blue haired man. "I'm not so great with Kidou either..."

"Cero isn't Kidou! Forget Kidou! Don't give a thought to whether Kidou is easy or hard, or if you failed or succeeded there! It doesn't matter. Right now, this is all that matters. You aren't practicing something _like_ Kidou. You are learning Cero!" Grimmjow fired a small Cero into the ground a few feet away from them, leaving a deep crater. "Do it right this time!"

Kaien nodded and began to concentrate, but a shark smack to the back of the head brought his attention back to the Arrancar. "What?"

"Stop thinking! A Hollow acts on instinct, and Cero is a Hollow power! You can't think so much. Just _do_ it!"

Kaien frowned. That didn't make any sense. He wiped his mind, and glanced at the crater, then pointed at it and shoved outward with his riatsu. To his surprise, a blast of red energy doubled the size of the hole in an instant.

"There! Just like that!" Grimmjow grinned. Maybe babysitting wasn't so bad.

Line -

" _I've known about you since the day you were born."_ Aizen had said those words to Ichigo years before. It had been clear from the start that the orange haired hero was a vital player in this game, but what exactly his roll was meant to be remained unclear.

" _When were you under the impression that I_ wasn't _using Kyoka Suigetsu?"_ They had all been fooled... Urahara sat up and dashed out of the room. He headed directly for the First Division.

"Urahara? What are you doing here this late?" Nanao yawned as she opened the door. When she saw the panic on the calm man's face, she stepped aside and followed him to her captain's room.

"Captain Commander Kyoraku! We've been fooled! From the very beginning!" Urahara kicked the wall. "Aizen used his absolute hypnosis on Ichigo when he was a child! Of course he wouldn't leave something so vital to chance!"

"Then... We have no way of knowing what parts of the Winter War actually happened and what was illusion... We may not even have the real Aizen imprisoned..." Shunsui opened the door and allowed the two inside. "What can we do, though? We all witnessed his release... None of our senses are reliable..."

"No, even Aizen has limits. I do believe he is imprisoned. He is cleaver and would only use his ability in ways he could maintain indefinitely. If I had to guess, I would say there was a single instant during the war that he made us perceive differently. Narrowing down what it could be, however, will be a challenge." Urahara had calmed slightly. "We have to tell Ichigo though. Not only does he have a right to know that he may have been tricked, but he may be able to help us find what was changed."

"I do not like it, but I can't disagree. Aizen has proven his intentions will not be slowed by the deaths of a few enemies or allies. Nanao, go to the Eighth and fetch Ichigo. Urahara, you should bring Kurotsuchi as well. We need every great mind we can find to unravel Aizen's plan." Shunsui rested his hat on his head and stood. Urahara held up a hand.

"I have given some thought to this... I believe in order to defeat Aizen, we must change our strategy entirely. It has been a game of chess that has lasted centuries. He is a master that I am not sure even I can best. Certainly not without horrible losses. But if we change the game to poker without telling him, we may have a chance." Urahara grinned.

"What did you have in mind?"

Line -

Aizen breathed deeply and plunged in to his inner world. It was a mesmerizing place. A labyrinth of mirrors. Walls, floor, and ceiling. All at odd angles. From any single place in the maze, you could see every other location. But only the greatest minds could follow the twisting threads of reflection.

"Kyoka Suigetsu. It is nearly time." Aizen waited for a moment, then turned. An elegant woman in a dark cloak had appeared. She was not reflected in the mirrors.

"Sousuke. I wondered if you might not change your mind, after speaking to Kisuke Urahara." The woman sat on a protrusion from the floor that had been all but invisible before. "The subject is almost ready. Shall we move on to the penultimate phase?"

"Yes. You know your part. Go, and remember, we do not make mistakes, but neither does Kisuke Urahara. He will see the plan before the end, and he will put his considerable mental resources in to stopping us."

"He will fail. We have come too far for him to stop us now. It will not be long before we stand at the very top. Even the Soul King will not be able to challenge us." Kyoka Suigetsu vanished, manifesting into the outside world of Soul Society and leaving her master alone in his mind.

The Arrancar started it all. Hollows who had become part Shinigami. Next he preformed his test on the Visored, proving a Shinigami could become part Hollow. He went on to perfect the Arrancar, while Urahara had done his work in perfecting the Visored. Then it came time for the next test. Quincy hybrids. The real question, was if it was possible to create a Quincy and Hollow hybrid. He hoped, with the Hogyoku, that he could reconcile their contradictory natures. Ichigo had briefly merged with both his inner Hollow and inner Quincy, but his Shinigami nature polluted the results.

Now, his test was nearly complete. A pure Quincy and Hollow Hybrid. A Kudoso. He would test it in fire by sending it against Soul Society. He could count on Urahara to find its flaws, and Kyoka Suigetsu would be watching and recording the results for him all the while.

However, it was only a matter of time before they realized that his Zanpakuto had not been destroyed by the Hogyoku. When that time came, he would move to the final phase.

Line -

"No. No way! You can't use them to fight Aizen!" Ichigo shouted. His father was at his side, glaring daggers at his friend. Urahara was guiltily avoiding his gaze.

"This is the best chance we have, Ichigo. Isshin, surely you know I would not suggest this if I didn't believe they could do it!" Urahara said.

"And you must have known I would never have approved, or you would have come to me first!" Isshin growled. "You plan to send my daughters to fight the most dangerous criminal Soul Society has ever faced? It took you and Ichigo to finally bring him down before, and over a decade to realize he played you all like puppets!"

"And not just my sisters, but my son as well?! How many wars do we have to fight before you stop turning to our family for all of your solutions! You have the Gotei 13, the Arrancar, and the Quincy on your side! Why do you need the few of us who haven't already killed?" Ichigo demanded.

"Because Aizen has no grip on them. They are the only ones with your potential who have not seen Aizen's shikai." Shunsui Kyoraku defended the scientists proposal. "We do not want to see them harmed. But we have to think about more than just them. We have to stop Aizen or millions could die. Yuzu, Karin, and Kaien might be our only hope to stopping whatever plan Aizen has."

"I'll do it." Karin said quietly. She stepped up beside her father and brother. "I'll fight."

"No! Karin, don't!" Ichigo tried to step in front of her, but she pushed past him.

"This is my choice, Ichigo. You protected me all my life. I want to be able to protect people now. Besides, I think I may have an edge in this that Aizen won't see coming." Karin grinned confidently at her brother. "I reached manifestation. I'll be able to achieve Bankai soon."

"You've already reached manifestation?" Ichigo asked, surprised. She nodded. "Toshiro's been training you personally, hasn't he?" Another nod, this time with a small blush. Ichigo sighed and nodded. "It's a family thing, I guess. We all want to protect. I can't stop you... But please, be careful. Don't throw your life away for this."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. But Yuzu isn't a fighter. She's a healer." She turned her glare on Urahara and the Captain Commander. "Leave her out of this."

"She is the only one of you who has trained her Quincy powers. The more variety in your powers, the better." Urahara said calmly. "Yuzu Kurosaki, it is your choice."

"I... I don't... I don't know if I am strong enough... I have only been training with Uryu for a month..." The gentle woman was uncomfortably standing off to the side, nearly overwhelmed by the immense assembled riatsu in the room.

"I would not feel comfortable sending her against Aizen at this point, Captain Commander. She is naturally talented and she is learning quickly, but she lacks power and speed to back up her skill. Maybe in five years, but right now, I'm afraid she would be a greater benefit to Soul Society as a healer than a soldier." Uryu reported. Ichigo leaned forward and whispered to him.

"Thanks, Uryu."

"I see. And Kaien?" Shunsui turned to the boy who now stood at the equivalent of a thirteen year old boy.

"Absolutely not. He is still a student in the Academy! He is a child! He has not even achieved Shikai yet! He still has to fight to keep his Hollowfication under control!" Ichigo roared at the man.

"I would say, there would be little benefit to sending a healer and a child when Karin is more than capable on her own. In fact, their presence would be more likely to serve as a distraction to those who care about them." Toshiro Hitsugaya spoke up for the first time, meeting the eyes of his former captain and his adoptive older brother. "I understand that a variety of viewpoints and styles would be a benefit, but the detriments seem to outweigh them in this case."

"I agree with Hitsugaya. I can not see sending the other two as anything more than a suicide mission." Byakuya added.

"I am always against sending children into battle." Ukitake said pointedly to his friend.

"Alright, alright. Karin Kurosaki has agreed to undertake this mission alone, and we are all agreed that she is the most capable on her own. Third Seat Kurosaki, you will report to the Delta Division immediately after this meeting to learn the details of your assignment as we know them at this point." Shunsui called out. "This meeting is over."

Karin smiled appreciatively at her captain, then turned to leave. She was stopped by her family.

"You don't have to do this, Karin..." Ichigo put a hand on her shoulder.

"Say the word and I'll kick Kisuke's ass all the way through the Rukongai for this!" Isshin proclaimed.

"Sis... I'll come with you, if you need me. I may not be able to fight, but I can heal you..." Yuzu hugged her.

"I'll be fine! Don't worry, guys. Let me be the one to protect you all this time." Karin returned the hug, then embraced her father and brother as well. "I have to go. We still don't know when I will be needed for this mission anyway."

Line -

Ryuya walked out into the sunlight for the first time in years. The strange woman had taken him to the underground compound when he was little more than a child. Now, he was finally able to see the sky. Although, he wondered if it even really counted as himself anymore. He reached up and felt the chest plate under his clothes that covered a hole where his heart should be.

"You know what is required of you. After you complete your task, you are free." Kyoka Suigetsu gestured to the hole in the sky being held open by two Arrancar. "Free Sousuke Aizen from prison. Kill anyone who gets in your way. Once you cut his bonds and place this in to his hands, you are free. You can fight your way out, surrender and tell them everything, or die where you stand. It is up to you."

"All I have to do is get in, untie this guy, and give him a sword?"

"Yes." Kyoka Suigetsu smiled to herself. "Just that."

Ryuya nodded and stepped into the Garganta and off toward Soul Society.

Line -

"What is he?" Ikkaku asked allowed as he blocked yet another light arrow carrying the riatsu of a Hollow. "Yumichika! Tatsuki! Three point arc! Mizuho! Get to the Captain Commander and tell him to make sure Aizen is secure! Aramaki! Get to the Delta Division and alert Urahara! I smell Aizen's hand in this!"

"Yes Captain!" the four officers shouted in unison, moving to follow his orders.

"So, what the hell are you?! An Arrancar gone rogue?!" Ikkaku stepped forward cautiously, Yumi and Tatsuki on either side of him, but several steps back.

"I'm a Kudoso! A Quincy who has undergone Hollowfication! I am the only one of my kind, and I am here to unleash hell! My name is Ryuya!" The man fired another arrow but it was cut from the air by the bald captain.

"I am Kenpachi Ikkaku Madarame! I am the captain of the Eleventh Division! I'm the luckiest man in the Gotei 13, and I am going to kill you here and now!" Ikkaku spun his Zanpakuto. "Grow, Hozukimaru!"

"Split and Deviate, Ruri'iro Kujaku!" Yumichika grinned as his blade curved and divided into its true form.

"Strike Back, Handoju!" Tatsuki's blade extended from the handle in both directions, while the hilt changed to enclose her hand fully.

The three powerful warriors charged the new enemy without hesitation as their comrades rushed to alert the rest of Soul Society.

When help finally arrived, Ikkaku was the only one standing, and the enemy was no where to be seen. The bald man was knelt beside his best friend, carefully applying medicine from his sword hilt to several deep cuts. A few feet away, Tatsuki was struggling to get to her feet, using her Zanpakuto as a crutch.

"Where did he go, Captain?!" Aramaki came to his comrades and helped Tatsuki to her feet as Mizuho moved to help Ikkaku lift Yumichika.

"Toward the First Division. Hurry. He was carrying Aizen's Zanpakuto, and he knew how to use it."

Line -

"Thank you for your services, Ryuya." Aizen stretched and lifted his Zanpakuto experimentally. It had been so long since he had held it, he just wanted to enjoy the weight in his hand for a few moments. "You're dismissed. I suggest you get out of here before they get here, or you will probably die. But then, that is up to you now."

Aizen looked back at the chair that had been his home for the last decades. One blast of Kidou reduced it to ash.

Outside, the First Division had evacuated, and Ichigo stood in his full Vasto Lorde form. Shunsui Kyoraku suggested that as a last resort, the prison could be obliterated and rebuilt, if it meant containing Aizen.

"Ah, I see you've all come to welcome me back in to the free world. I do appreciate it, really. I haven't had many visitors lately. But I have some important business I must be getting to. You've validated my final experiment. I have no need to kill you all, but I will if you stand in my way." Aizen raised his sword. "Shatter, Kyo-"

"Bankai! Reiji Shinkiro!" Karin Kurosaki flash stepped from the crowd and crossed blades with Aizen before he could complete his release. "You won't be hypnotizing anyone today."

"Oh? And a child like you will stop me? It is no great feat to see that you don't have even a fraction of your brother's power. I expected better." Aizen pushed her blade back and then lunged at her chest, his blade sliding cleanly through the joint of her shoulder. She cried out and stumbled back.

Then she vanished. Aizen's eyes widened as he felt a sharp pain in his own shoulder. The girl was standing there, his sword resting harmlessly on her shoulder and her own blade through his arm.

"What is this?" He swung again, but again, she wasn't there.

"You thought you were the only one with an illusion type Zanpakuto? Ha! They told me you were smart!" Karin rushed toward him. His blade came up to block her, but instead he met empty air as her strike pierced his leg from the side. "And that is only the start." She drew back and pointed the tip of her blade at the confused man. "My mirage doesn't stop with your senses. The wounds you see me inflicting are real to you, even if not to the world, Aizen. I can kill you without ever coming into arms reach."

"Perhaps I gave you too little credit... But there are still things you have not mastered. Such as releasing your Zanpakuto silently." Aizen grinned and dissolved before her.

"No! I had him!" Karin roared as she rushed to the spot he had just occupied. There was no trace of him ever standing there. "I failed..."

"No, you did amazingly, Karin." Her captain was by her side. "We'll find him. Urahara and Kurotsuchi are already working on it."

"He hypnotized me, Toshiro! I could have killed you! Or Yuzu! Or Dad!" She turned to him and hugged him tightly. "I can't be the one to fight him again..."

"I understand... Then it is time to see what your nephew is capable of when necessity calls..." Toshiro looked over her head at Ichigo and Rukia. They shared a sad glance, then nodded.


	48. Chapter 48

Aizen was in high spirits. The girl had been a formidable enemy, but she had taken too long between attacks. It had given him the time he needed to release Kyoka Suigetsu and make his escape. There really was no need to fight them now. He was about to become a being who would never have to fight with such lowly creatures again.

He was halfway through the process now. He had undergone the Hollowfication, and he had easily dominated his inner Hollow. The creature was now lost, wandering forever in the labyrinth of mirrors. He had then devoured the soul of a Quincy and assimilated it's power into his own. It had been the most vital and most dangerous step of the plan. The Quincy soul would give him the ability to exist as both body and spirit at once.

Now he only had one last thing to do. He looked down at the table where his exact copy lay immobile. A gigai, perfect in every way. The Quincy aspect allowing both physical and spiritual nature. The Shinigami aspect allowing him to harness any power. The Hollow aspect allowing him regenerative abilities and free travel between worlds. And, of course, the Human aspect that would remove the limits placed on him in death. Now that he and his body were aligned in composition, he had only to become one with it.

Simply inhabiting the body would be insufficient. The Hogyoku, which had served many uses, had been acquired for this act alone. To do what had never been considered before. To reforge the chain of fate between a soul and a body.

Line -

"Why? Why am I not the one to train my own son?!" Ichigo demanded. He was getting rather tired of not being taken in to consideration when it came to his own family, particularly his son.

"We need you here to defend Soul Society if Aizen launches an attack. And you are more liekly to go easy on him and we can not afford that right now." Shunsui explained. "Urahara, Yoruichi, and both of our Lieutenants will take care of him and teach him to be a warrior capable of fighting Aizen."

"Send Grimmjow as well. He taught him to use Cero already. He needs an Arrancar, not a Visored to teach him the powers of a Hollow." Ichigo sighed in defeat. At least he knew Grimmjow would follow his orders over the Captain Commander's in a pinch.

After Shunsui agreed to allowing the Fourth Seat of the Eighth Division to take part in the emergency training, Ichigo set off for the Fifth Division.

"Hey Shinji." Ichigo greeted his friend and took his usual spot on the roof. "Do you think I'm crazy, allowing Kaien to fight?"

"Yeah. But I also think you're doing the right thing. I'm glad it's not Kirio, though. You're braver than I am for that." Shinji held out a bottle of sake, but Ichigo shook his head. "Momo's not handling the situation very well, as you can imagine. Seeing Aizen again threw her whole world out of balance. She's in the Fourth Division right now. Captain Kira is looking after her."

"He's always had a thing for her. Do you think she'll ever fully recover?"

"I would like to say yes... But I don't know. If I'm completely honest, I don't believe she will ever quite be the same again, but who would be? Kira does have some experience with what she went through though. Ichimaru defected at the same time. Although in the end, Ichimaru turned out to be a good man... It is hard to say."

"Yeah... You know Kirio is going to follow Kaien right in to this, don't you?" Ichigo smirked.

"I know. I've got a member of the Stealth Force keeping an eye on her at all times so we can follow them and lend them a hand when the time comes." Shinji grinned. "You in?"

"Don't ask stupid questions." Ichigo nodded.

Line -

"Flicker, Shinkiro!" Karin's blade shifted, taking on a fluid appearance, although it retained its form rigidly.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyorinmaru!" Toushiro released his Zanpakuto, then flash stepped toward his Third Seat. Karin blocked the blow, then in the same instant, readjusted her grip and flicked the tip of her blade across her captain's shoulder.

The white haired captain knew he was unlikely to win this match. The young woman had grown in strength at a rate that put anyone but her brother to shame. Not only that, but her Shikai was nearly impossible to counter. While her Bankai could change the world around her as she saw fit, her Shikai caused ripples in perception. From a casual observer, nothing would seem out of place. It would look as if her opponent was simply mistiming their moves by fractions of a second. However, to a trained Shinigami like Toushiro, it was clear that his perception wasn't quite right.

Once it was released, Karin became the only person within range who perceived time as it actually was. All others were subject to the random increases and decreases of speed caused by her Zanpakuto.

The match was short, as the Captain had predicted.

"Thanks, Shiro... I needed that." Karin smiled at him as they sat side by side in the grass. "I've been thinking..."

"You want to go with him, when Kaien goes to face Aizen?" Toushiro asked.

"You know me way too well."

"I should hope so." He grinned at her, then sighed. "I'm coming too. Hirako is already organizing the trip."

"Who all is coming?"

"An army, at this rate." The white haired captain laughed quietly. "He's worked his way into a lot of hearts these past few years. There is no shortage of people ready to fight for him."

"Just like his father." Karin let her head fall on her captain's shoulder. "He even won you over."

"Both of them did." He nodded. "Your brother had to work at it a lot longer though."

"True. Kaien just had to call you 'Uncle Shiro' once and you melted like a popcycle in hell." Karin nudged him playfully.

"Perhaps if Kaien sees me as family, your brother won't destroy me when he finds out we have a more than professional relationship."

"Ichigo is over protective, but I think he'll approve of you. And Dad has already given his blessing."

"You know, your father has been on the mark twice now... Do you think he already has someone picked out for Yuzu?"

"He better not! I'll kick his ass _and_ theirs if he didn't consult me!"

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm scared, Shiro."

"I know, Karin. Me too."

Line -

"How is he doing so far?" Ichigo asked nervously.

"He's progressing well with his Hollow abilities. He can even undergo Hollowfication at will now and hold it for three minutes. He still hasn't released his Shikai though. Is it possible he only inherited your Hollow side?" Grimmjow reported.

"Not according to Urahara's theory. He believes our bloodline will _always_ be part Shinigami and either part Hollow or part Quincy. That guy who broke Aizen out was the only example of a Quincy and Hollow hybrid he had seen, and he is still trying to figure out how it was done." Ichigo shook his head. "Has he spoken to his Zanpakuto spirit, even?"

"No. He says every time he goes in to his inner world, it's dark. Like midnight with no moon and no stars. He knows there is more there, he just can't see it." Grimmjow said. "His riatsu is growing quickly, though. Not as quickly as you or Karin's, but faster than most average Shinigami. Urahara is working with him now."

"Good. Keep an eye on them. And thanks. I assume you're coming with us when he goes?"

"Of course, Captain." Grimmjow grinned. "I can't let the kid go out there without me there to make sure he doesn't screw it all up."

Inside the training grounds, Kaien sat in the typical position for meditation. The sword lay across his lap. In front of him, Urahara mirrored his pose.

"Breath deeply and tell me what you see."

"I don't see anything! It's just darkness!" Kaien growled. He had been at this for hours.

"Call out into the darkness." Urahara said.

In the dark landscape, Kaien stumbled over something he could not see.

"Hello? Is anyone out there?" He called into the night.

" _Always_..." The reply came back as nothing more than a whisper on the wind.

"What is your name? You are the spirit of my Zanpakuto, aren't you? Will you tell me your name?"

"..." The words were swept away in the breeze.

"I can't here you..."

"..." The voice repeated. " _You are afraid._ "

"No I'm not!" Kaien shouted. "I am the son of a hero! I am going to fight Aizen and save Soul Society, just like Dad did!"

" _Don't lie to yourself... You are afraid... Your father is a hero, and you are afraid you will not live up to his legacy... You are afraid you will disappoint him and the other who are counting on you._ "

"I... I can't fail..."

" _If you fear failure, it is all you will ever find._ "

"What can I do?"

" _Accept it. You fear is a part of you, just as I am. Just as we are._ "

"We?"

" _We. Hollow and Shinigami. You must accept yourself to overcome yourself._ "

"How can I fight if I am afraid?"

" _Face your fear._ "

"That is what I am trying to do!"

" _No... Denying your fear is not facing it... Walking into certain death and pretending it is anything but just that is foolishness. Walk into certain death, greeting it as an old friend, and only then will it allow you to walk away and meet it another day. Face your fear honestly, or you will never earn my name._ "

"I don't think I can face Aizen if I let myself think about it... He is so powerful... Even Aunt Karin couldn't beat him..."

" _She fought, nonetheless._ "

"Yeah..."

" _What are you afraid of?_ "

"I'm afraid of letting everyone down... I'm afraid of not being strong enough..."

" _You do not need great strength in this battle. You father. Your aunt. All the captains of Soul Society have such strength that the world trembles int heir presence. They do not need your strength. They need eyes that have not seen the moon's reflection in still water. Kyoka Suigetsu._ "

"But what can I do if I can see the truth but don't have the strength to act on it?"

" _Show the truth to those with strength._ "

"How?"

" _Take away the moon, and it can not cast a reflection._ "

"I don't understand..."

" _Tessai. Urahara. Isshin. Ichigo. Together, they understand._ "

Kaien opened his eyes and blinked at Urahara.

"I... I need to talk to you, Tessai, my dad, and my grandfather..." The dark haired boy said nervously. Urahara nodded immediately.

"Hey! Grimmjow! Go get your captain and his old man!"

A few minutes later, three generations of Kurosaki men sat together with the two Shinigami ambassadors.

"He said that together you would understand... Kyoka Suigetsu is the moon's reflection in still water. He says I have to take away the moon, so there can be no reflection, just like my inner world."

"Hmmm... Isshin, your Zanpakuto is the Scathing Moon, right? And Ichigo, yours is the Slaying Moon... Perhaps it is a clue to it's name?" Urahara said. Tessai sat up straighter and turned to Isshin.

"Have you ever told them?" The kido master asked. Isshin was confused for a moment, then understood.

"When I gave up my powers to save Masaki, Engetsu told me about the Final Getsuga Tensho. He told me that it would have allowed me access to a release of my Zanpakuto beyond Bankai, but it would have cost me my powers. There was no harm in it then, because my powers were sealed, otherwise I bet he would have never told me." Isshin paused. "That final release... Was called Zangetsu."

"What?!" Ichigo stared. "You never thought to tell me that my Zanpakuto shared its name with your Final Getusga Tensho?!"

"It never seemed important!" Isshin defended himself. "After you lost your powers, I thought it was better to avoid the topic. After you regained them, I had forgotten, actually."

"So my Final Getsuga Tensho... Might be Kaien's Zanpakuto?" Ichigo asked.

"That would make sense..." Urahara nodded.

"Mugetsu... the Moonless Night..." Ichigo said to himself. "If you could take away Aizen's hypnosis..."

"Then he would be outnumbered and out classed." Isshin grinned.

"Kaien, go back in to your inner world and speak to your Zanpakuto spirit again." Urahara prompted.

Kaien closed his eyes and found himself once again in the emptiness of the night.

"Mugetsu! Is that your name?"

" _Mugetsu... I am Mugetsu... Are you afraid now?_ "

"Yes... But I can face this. I can do this if I am not alone."

" _You will never be alone again._ " The darkness pulled away and a form appeared before him. "I am Mugetsu, and I will fight by your side till our dying day."

Line -

"Kyoka Suigetsu, I need your assistance. Urahara has tracked us down, as expected." Aizen walked out onto the empty pavement where he was faced by a child a dozen of his strongest enemies. "Quite the force you have assembled. But what of it? My Kyoka Suigetsu is already released, and I can tell from here this child is not within a mile of Bankai. Urahara, surely you have a better play to make than this?"

"You and I know very well than Bankai is not what determines the victor in a game like this. You called your blade to your side. You would not have done so if you thought we were no threat." Urahara spoke casually, leaning on his cane.

"Or perhaps I am simply tired of humoring you all and I intend to be rid of you at last." Aizen raised the blade. "Are the ants we step on threats, or do we merely kill them because it is easier than letting them live?"

"Some ants will surprise you. You know, the humans have an ant called the 'cow killer'. I wouldn't mess with it." Urahara grinned. "Then again, enough ants can move a mountain."

"You have far too few ants to move me." Aizen began walking slowly to the side, leisurely swinging his blade as the eyes of the Shinigami remained fixed where he had been. It was all too easy. A sloppy last effort. A bluff, or a foolish gambit that would not pay off.

"Maybe." Urahara's grin widened. Somehow, seeing that made Aizen boil with anger. How dare that arrogant man smile in the face of defeat at his hands?

"There is no uncertainty in this." Aizen spoke, but the illusion of himself delivered the words. "Which of you shall die first? The child?"

"Careful. There's more to the boy than meets the eye." Urahara shrugged, but Ichigo tensed. Maybe the mad genius could keep his cool, but a father had weaknesses that no plan could iron out. Aizen walked to the boy's side, raised his sword, and prepared to strike.

"Any last words?" Aizen smirked to himself as the boy stared, wide eyed at the illusion of his attacker, still standing in front of them.

"Y-yes..." Kaien stammered. Aizen paused to hear him out. "We can see you." The boy turned his head and locked eyes with Aizen. "All of us."

"You..." Aizen felt the first blade cleave his arm. His Zanpakuto rolled from the slack grip of his severed hand. The next blade took his other arm, while a third brought him to his bloody stump of a knee. "How?"

"You are not the only one who can release their Zanpakuto silently." Kaien said, spinning the sword in question. The metal was black, and not a single glint of light reflected from its surface. It was not a thing that could truly be seen, but a thing that could be determined by the lack of anything else.

"Urahara! You will let the game end like this?! I am on the verge of greatness!" Aizen roared as Tessai began binding him with heavy chains of Kidou. "I can reforge the chain of fate! I can make a perfect being!"

"A perfect being can not be created. By definition, to be perfect, it must not require anything, not even its own creation. If you were to create it, then wouldn't it inherently have the flaw of needing a creator?" Urahara shook his head. "Humans are imperfect. It's foolish to try and deny ones nature, and worse yet to live in ignorance of it."

"Kill me, then! Kill me, and watch as I return! The chain of fate has already been created, I only need the Hogyoku to link it to me! Killing me will do just as well! You know I still have many loyal servants who will see my will done!" Aizen was wide eyed and delirious. Ichigo approached him. "Oh, you have come to finish me off? I welcome it! You were nothing more than an experiment!"

"Konso." Ichigo raised Zangetsu's hilt and pressed it to the mad man's forehead. "Give my regards to Yhwach." He stepped back. "You should not have threatened my son. I may have just killed you."


	49. Chapter 49

It was late in the evening, and the sun was sinking behind the horizon of the Seireitei. From his perch on one of the roofs of the Eighth Division, Grimmjow could still see the last rays of light while those on the ground could not. A brush of wind, and a smaller form was sitting next to him.

"What's up?" He turned his head slightly to notice his companion has her chin resting on her knees and a murderous glare fixed on her face. That in and of itself wouldn't surprise most people. The woman was notorious for her short temper and generally unfriendly attitude, but that hasn't been as pronounced lately, and when she was truly murderous, she rarely resisted the urge to just go ahead and kill someone.

"Yoruichi's out with that man again..." Sui Feng almost snarled, but managed to keep her voice calm and cold. "What did I do wrong?"

"Wasn't she friends with him before you were even born? Maybe she just needs to yell and scream and pull her hair out so she doesn't strangle you." Grimmjow smirked. "I sure have to."

"Ass. But... Why _now_? She barely saw him at all for centuries, but the last few years she has gone out with him almost every week..." She slammed her fists down on the roof and sighed. "Maybe she just doesn't want to be with me anymore... I guess it is better than her running away for a century..."

"Or maybe she just wants to have more than one friend. You can be a bit abrassive."

"She has tons of friends! And I play nice with them!" Sui Feng growled.

"You just glare instead of shouting. That's not 'playing nice'." The blue haired man rolled his eyes. "We could always go check up on them."

"I will not spy on Yoruichi!"

"But how about spying on Urahara?"

"You... Crafty bastard." Sui Feng stood. "Let's go, then."

Grimmjow was on the short list of individuals in the Gotei 13 who could keep pace with the ninja captain. His natural ability as a Jaguar, Sonido's superiority to Shunpo, and a bit of training by his own captain had left him with few rivals. Only his captain and Yoruichi could out run him now.

They confined their riatsu and perched silently above the clearing on the outskirts of the Seireitei, watching and listening as two figures walked in shoulder to shoulder.

"Hey Kisuke... Do you think she's bored with me?" Yoruichi looked over at her life long friend, and up on a tree branch, Sui Feng's jaw fell open.

"I don't know how anyone could grow bored of a shape shifting ninja goddess." Urahara put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "You have had casual friends your whole life. Grimmjow is the first real friend she has ever had besides you. I think her heart is big enough for two, if we use a good crowbar."

"I know... I feel sick being jealous of her finally having a friend, but I can't help it! I... I'm not the only one who can make her smile anymore, Kisuke."

"She's not the only one who makes you smile."

"Sometimes she is." Yoruichi sat on a stone and buried her face in her hands. "I am being selfish... She deserves a friend."

"Yeah. She does." Urahara sat beside her. "Have you thought about trying to be friends with Grimmjow as well?"

"I can't stand him! I don't even know why! As soon as he enters the room I want to hit him!" Yoruichi growled. Urahara laughed.

"You and your Little Bee are so much alike sometimes. You sound like her talking about me, except I think she probably keeps a lengthy list of all the reasons she hates me. Yoruichi... He is her friend. If you try to make peace, so will he. Even if it is only ever skin deep. It would make Sui Feng happy."

"Alright. Alright, I will. Thanks, Kisuke."

"Anytime."

Up on the tree branch, Sui Feng bit her lip and flash stepped silently back out of the clearing. Grimmjow followed her and caught up to her before they reached the Second Division.

"You alright?"

"I... Tomorrow. Tomorrow, you me, Yoruichi, and Urahara are going out together. The four of us. Alright?" The short captain looked up at her friend.

"Yeah. I'll be there."


	50. Chapter 50

The pink haired girl paced anxiously outside the closed door, thinking over exactly what she would say. It was not the way of the Eleventh Division to ask for help, but then again, it was not the way of the Eleventh to fall in love, either. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them and knocked firmly on the door.

"Lieutenant Kusajishi, what can I do for you?" Nanao adjusted her glasses and straightened her hair as she opened the door.

"I... I need some advice." Yachiru fidgeted. "I am going to be spending the evening with someone and I don't know how to make him see me as more than a friend. Kenny is... busy. Baldy doesn't know anything, and Feathers really didn't give me the sort of advice I needed."

"Come in. We can talk about it." Nanao stood to the side and let the young woman step into her room. Yachiru took a seat at the small desk and waited. "So, what makes you think he doesn't already see you as more than a friend?"

"


	51. Chapter 51

"Oh, stop worrying, Ichigo! This isn't half as risky as it is in the living world! Besides, my third daughter is far too tough to be beaten by something like this!" Isshin Kurosaki slapped his son on the back and then turning to his Lieutenant. "Isane, come out and get us when it is time, I need to have a word with my idiot boy!"

"Yes, Captain Kurosaki." The tall, silver haired woman began directing the healers as Isshin dragged the orange haired hero out of the room.

"What are you doing?! I need to be in there with her!" Ichigo tried to pull away, but he found his father's grip stronger than he had expected. "What's wrong?"

"I was terrified when you were born, Ichigo. I was a Shinigami in a gigai. Your mother was a living human with Quincy blood and a chained inner hollow. And to tell you the truth, I only knew about the potential horrors of child birth gone wrong from books and movies. I was a clinic doctor, so it was something I always referred to Ryuken. When it came time for her to have you, I was so scared I was going to lose you both that I couldn't be in the room with her." Isshin kicked the ground as he looked up at the sky. "I was more mad at myself than she was."

"What about when Karin and Yuzu were born?" Ichigo had stopped struggling and was now standing side by side with his father.

"I made myself stay by her side every minute. She nearly broke my hand holding on so tight, but the doctors knew what they were doing. Everything went smoothly. That's not to say it wasn't one of the most stressful days of my life, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Being able to see her face light up when the baby is placed in her arms and all the pain suddenly becomes worth it is something you will treasure for the rest of your life."

"I'm scared, Dad." Ichigo laughed for a moment. "Jeez, people are going to think we're related."

"What a tragedy that would be!" Isshin grinned and shook his head. "Take a deep breath. Everything is going to be fine. You are going to be a father when you go to bed tonight. That is something you aren't prepared for, and never will be. And it is not something that you will ever stop being. No matter what happens. Once you hold that child for the first time, they will never leave your heart. You want to be able to say you kept your head and your lunch today."

"You do give some good advice from time to time."

"Damn right I do. Now get in there. She'll be back on her feet in minutes with my healers on the job. You won't get away without an ass kicking if you miss it!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going! Hands off, Goat Chin!" Ichigo brushed off the guiding hand with a cocky grin. "Thanks, Dad. I needed that."

"Anytime."

"Ichigo! Get in here _now_!" Rukia's voice signalled the end to their talk, drawing Ichigo through the door in a buzz of Sonido.

"I'm here, Rukia." Ichigo knelt by the bed, holding her hand and giving her a reassuring smile. He closed his eyes in irritation for a moment, then opened them and sighed. "So is Zangetsu. He says he wouldn't miss the birth of the Prince or Princess for anything."

"Good. Shirayuki would have been pissed if he had slept through this." Rukia gave a weak smile and then winced. "Next time it is your turn..."

"I'd say sure, but I'm afraid the Twelfth would find a way to make me regret it."

"I'm gonna have a word with them about that..."

"Every guy who's ever lived will want your head."

"And every woman who's ever given birth will die to protect me..."

"Fair point." Ichigo looked up at the silver haired Lieutenant. "Hey, Isane, is everything alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, it's going very well. I would say less than an hour. Don't worry, I've done this before a couple of times. Captain Unohana made sure I had experience in a bit of everything before she made me Lieutenant."

An hour later, Ichigo's son was sleeping calmly in his mother's arms. As Isshin had promised, the healers had her on her feet in minutes.

"He's beautiful..." Rukia traced the baby's fingers and ears gently, careful not to wake him. "Ichigo... I think it is time we ask."

"Yeah... Let's go." Ichigo lifted the child gently from her arms and took off at a leisurely flash step toward the Rukongai.

They arrived at a large and flashy building that they knew well, although they had never been to this particular one. They didn't make it to the door before it opened in front of them.

"I thought I might be seeing the two of you today. Come on in! Stay for a drink!" Kukakku waved to her cousin and his wife.

"We can't stay, but we needed to speak to you... We wanted to ask for your permission and blessing to name our son after your brother, Kaien." Rukia bowed her head to the woman and received a sharp smack to the back of the head for her trouble.

"Of course. Kaien Kurosaki. That boy's going to be a handful, I can tell already." The one armed woman laughed.

"Where's Ganju? We wanted him to know about this from the start too." Ichigo looked around.

"The idiot is on his way to the Fourth Division to suggest that you name him Kaien!"


	52. Chapter 52

"Do you think we should move them or something?" Tatsuki asked quietly.

"Do _you_ want to wake him up?" Yumichika raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged and turned away.

"You sure he won't be even more pissed off that we just left them there?" The short haired girl asked as they walked into Yumichika's office.

"I have no idea what you are referring to. I haven't seen Ikkaku yet this morning. Why on earth would he be mad at me for something entirely out of my hands?"


	53. Chapter 53

Generally, nothing would have made Captain Izuru Kira happier than spending his evening with Lieutenant Momo Hinamori. But today, the woman was nearly foaming at the mouth in jealous rage, storming around his office as if at any moment she may begin throwing furniture.

"Momo, please calm down..." Izuru was beginning to worry about her.

"How can you say that?! She was kissing him in _public_! He never even allowed me to call him by his first name in public!" She turned on her friend and pointed at him accusingly. "What is so special about her?"

"You know it has nothing to do with one of you being better than the other. Time passed. People change. He's more mature than he was when you were close to him. He's been through a lot that you didn't really pay attention to."

"But... He always tried to protect me and take care of me... He was always there for me, and when I finally get my head on straight and want him back, he's run off with some other girl while I wasn't looking! We grew up together, and he has only known her for a couple of decades!"

"She's made it clear she was interested him from the start, and you treated him like a child until a few weeks ago." Izuru leaned his cheek in his hand. He knew he was not saying the right things to calm her down, but he firmly believed at this point she wasn't planning to be calmed no matter what he said. He might as well tell her the truth and hope she didn't turn it in to a fight.

"That's not fair! She treated him like a kid when they met too!"

"She was a kid when they met. She treated him like an equal, which you never did, even when he outranked you. Did you really expect him to just wait for you forever? To never consider a relationship with anyone else? He still considers you a friend, Momo."

"


	54. Chapter 54

"Captain? I brought you dinner." Lieutenant Ise Nanao looked at the man with concern for a moment before approaching him and setting down a tray of food. She looked at the drawn blinds, blocking out any trace of the evening sun, and the piles of paper setting in neat stacks around the desk and floor.

"Nanao? Dinner must have been hours ago, why are you still up? Missing one meal won't be the end of me, although I appreciate your concern." Shunsui yawned and picked up the cup of tea, drinking half of it quickly before returning to his work.

"Dinner just ended... You missed last night as well. You didn't sleep, did you? You've been working all night and day..." The woman sat in the chair across the desk and took hold of her captain's hand to stop him from working. "What's gotten in to you? I could understand it during the war, but you have hardly taken a day off in the last year of peace..."

"It's been a year since the war ended, and I am still filling out death certificates for those lost. Medals and awards for the divisions and families of our soldiers, aid to the civilians of the Rukongai, whatever help we can give to the world of the living and Hueco Mundo... It feels like it is never ending." He sighs and closes his eyes, leaning back in his chair. "What can I do, Nanao? The old man left me in charge... I have to do my duty as Captain-Commander."

"But you can lean on me, like you always did before. You don't have to shoulder everything yourself. I was so amazed when you took your roll as his successor seriously, but it's not healthy for you to take it this far. I'm worried about you." Nanao sat her book down next to the tray.

"I loved how impressed you were when I started handling everything myself." Shunsui chuckled quietly. "I guess I liked it so much I wanted to handle everything myself so that I could keep seeing that look in your eyes. And... I can't fail in this position. If I do not live up to the expectations set upon me, the Central 46 will demand Juushiro take my place..."

"A lot of people think he would have been the better choice, even with his illness. I know you hate this position... Why are you so determined to keep it?"

"Because I have to do horrible things." He looks up at her and she can see the dark circles under his eyes. "I don't want my best friend to ever have to do this job... It would break his heart. My first act as Captain-Commander was to send Captain Unohana to her death. Did you know that he was in love with her once? When someone has spent so many centuries caring for you, it is hard not to care about them in return, I suppose. But he never told her. He's fallen in love half a dozen times since I met him, and he's never said a word."

"Never?"

"Never. He wants nothing more than to have children of his own and live in peace, but he thinks that he has no right to be happy with someone when he could drop dead at any moment and leave his family alone. So he shepherds the youngest Shinigami like they are his children. He teaches them and protects them all he can. And he denies himself the happiness that he deserves more than anyone else I have ever met. If I can save him from any amount of suffering by taking it on myself, that is an easy choice to make."

"Then let me share it. Let me take on half the work, at least. You have to sleep, you have to eat, and you have to see the sun." Nanao pulled the pen from his hand and then takes the next paper from the stack. "Eat your dinner, then go to bed."

"Nanao..."

"No arguments, Captain. Why can't you do anything in moderation? You either drink and sleep all the time, or work night and day. You go from chasing skirts to ignoring me all together. It's not healthy to keep jumping from one extreme to another."

"Are you saying you miss me flirting with you, my dear Nanao?"

"I... Didn't _say_ that." She blushed slightly and adjusted her glasses, refusing to look up at her captain.

"No, I suppose you didn't." Shunsui ate in silence for a few minutes, going so far as to crack one of the blinds, wincing at the brilliant sunset. "How long did you say I had been in here?"

"Since after lunch yesterday, Sir." Nanao smiled as she set the paper aside and moved to another. "A good night's rest and you can start keeping a regular schedule tomorrow. I can write one up for you. I know this all needs done, but you have to do it at a pace you can maintain."

"I suppose I owe you an apology for worrying you. I'd be lost without you, you know."

"I know. Now go to bed."

"You need your rest as well."

"If I leave, you'll get up and work more."

"Then stay."

"I am." Nanao looked up at her captain, then blushed brighter. "I mean... What do you mean?"

"Stay with me." Shunsui leaned in the doorway, his hat in his hand. "You need sleep, and you don't trust me to sleep without you here, so it is the only logical solution."

"You took it to heart, me missing your flirting..." She tried to redirect his attention, but he just shook his head. "Sir, even if half the divisions don't obey them, there _are_ fraternization rules."

"I really should do something about those..." Shunsui frowns, making a face of deep consideration. "I could change them so they only take effect if the captain of direct superior of one of the fraternizers has a complaint about it affecting their ability to do their work..."

"Captain... You have enough trouble taking things in moderation as it is... Why should I believe that I would be any different?"

"Because you have always been able to keep me in line. And you would be there with me the whole time, so you could knock me in the head if I mess up." The man sighed and shook his head. "Because I think I've been in love with you for a while now, and I was afraid that if I let myself be happy, Juushiro would hate me, and he told me if I didn't man up and ask you, he was going to stop speaking to me. He said I was insulting him by not taking advantage of the opportunity he didn't have."

"I can see why he would be mad about that... How long?"

"Twenty years or so... About ten years after I appointed you my Lieutenant. Spending so much time with you at my side, I guess it got to be more than just comfortable for me." Shunsui shrugged. "I imagined this going a lot worse or a lot better in my head."

"You mean you thought I would slap you or jump into your arms, not talk about it like a rational person?" Nanao smirked and raised an eyebrow. The man could be so absurd sometimes. She watched him for a moment, then her gaze softened. "I fell in love with you long before you appointed me your lieutenant. I was so mad at you for so long after Lisa's disappearance, I couldn't imagine ever seeing you as more than the enemy. I worked so hard so that I could be promoted to another division, but the more missions I followed you on, the more I respected you. When I finally got offered another position... I turned it down."

"I never knew you were offered another position. What division?"

"The Thirteenth." Nanao giggled at the look her captain gave her. "Captain Ukitake knew I was the youngest in the division, and that I worked harder than three people combined, so he offered me his third seat, before Sentaro and Kiyone took it."

"I am going to have to have a word with him..."

"He was so happy when I turned him down." Nanao stood up and sat aside the paperwork. "Alright, Shunsui. It's time for bed. And as you said, the only way I can be sure you don't get up is if I am there with you."

"Do you really mean that, Nanao?" Shunsui smiled when she pressed herself into his arms and leaned against his chest. "Just shut up. You are going to say something stupid and I want to go at least one day without regretting this decision."

"As you wish, my dear Nanao."


	55. Chapter 55

"You have to be kiddin' me..." Shinji gave the paper a distasteful look, then glanced up at the short woman who was glaring down at him. "You are inviting Captain Kurotsuchi?"

"He said I would never find someone who could put up with me. His invitation is my way of rubbing it in his face that he was wrong and I was right. It is good for his ego to get knocked down from time to time." Hiyori said shortly. "Besides, he won't show up. I told Urahara that he had to come looking like a human, no makeup, no hat."

"Oh, alright then. That's not going to happen, so no issue. The rest... I guess that covers most of my list too. Are you sure about having the Eleventh there?"

"Well... No, but Ichigo is coming, and that means his dad is coming, and that guy is nuts, so he is bringing most of his seated officers from the fourth, and Isane is dating Ikkaku, and Ikkaku won't come without half his division tagging along. If you think you can break that chain anywhere, go for it, but I'm not scraping you off of anything."

"Fair enough... We were gonna have to bring extra booze for the First Division anyway." Shinji set down the invitation list and gave his partner a soft smile. "It's really gonna happen, huh?"

"Yeah... Seems like we've been edging around it for a century. Oh wait..." Hiyori smirked and sat on the desk, crossing her legs and systematically rearranging every item around her out of its proper order. "Not having second thoughts, are you?"

"None. I will admit, I'm nervous, though." The blonde man looked around his office. "I might be the first captain in history to marry someone who's not officially a member of the Gotei 13 or a noble family... Think the Central 46 is going to get word of it an' throw a fit?"

"Would you let them stop us?"

"No. That's a stupid question." He picked up a heavy cup from his desk and closed one eye, sizing up the wall at the corner of the room before throwing the cup hard. It made a hollow thump, and a few seconds later, there was a sharp knocking on the door.

"Captain? Is everything okay?" Lieutenant Momo Hinamori cracked open the door, having learned a long time ago that if she couldn't see Hiyori somewhere else in the division, there was a strong chance she was with the captain.

"Oh, Hinamori. I just dropped something, but since you are here, could you deliver this to the Ninth Division to print and distribute?" Shinji gave his most winning smile and held up the list of names.

"Of course, Sir!" Momo took the paper and was out the door in an instant.

"That was a blatant abuse of power. Using a subordinate for your personal errands. You should be ashamed." Hiyori laughed and then smiled at her fiance. "I'm nervous too. I keep thinking about you in the hospital after the war... If we had been... _Together_ then, I don't know if I could have handled it. Do you think it will get easier or harder to watch each other risk our lives?"

"I think it will be easier, if we don't have anything left unsaid between us. But we'll probably die together. I'm always going to be there to watch your back, and I doubt I'll be able to get you to stay home if I am going in to battle."

"You got that right, Baldy!" Hiyori leaped off the desk and grabbed her uniform. "I'm going to go give your subordinates some training. Hope the Eleventh isn't training today, or the Fourth is gonna be overworked tonight."

"I wondered why I kept getting dirty looks from Captain Kurosaki..."

"It's good for them! If they can't hold their own against a Visored, what good are they?"

"You are stronger than anything they are ever likely to face, you know. That is like belittling you for not beating Ichigo."

"No, cause beating Ichigo is actually impossible. These guys just aren't trying hard enough!" Hiyori grabbed her Zanpakuto from the hook by the door after she was dressed and hung it over her shoulder. "I'll meet you over at the Eighth when I'm done. We're having dinner there tonight."

"Did they invite us, or did you just invite us?"

"Are you saying no, either way?" Hiyori held a threatening flip flop in her fist.

"No..." Shinji sighed and shrank back in his chair. He had made it a week without a shoe mark on his face, and he planned to make it to the wedding that way.

"Good answer."


	56. Chapter 56

" _So, you have a thing for Ran-chan, huh?" The voice was smooth and soft. Shuhei spun around, searching for the source of the voice, stumbing back when he came face to face with a tall, thin, silver haired man._

" _Ichimaru!" Shuhei was reaching for his sword before he even recalled that the man was dead. His Zanpakuto was not at his side. Much to his relief, he realized neither was the other man's. "Am I dreaming?"_

" _Sorta." Gin shrugged leaning against a tree. "You didn't answer me. Do ya like Rangiku?"_

" _I... I do." The black haired man swallowed, taking a step back. "So, the rumors that the two of you were together were true?"_

" _Yeah." Gin nodded and lowered his gaze to the ground. "But she deserved better."_

" _You left her. She thought you had betrayed her. Do you have any idea how many nights she would get so drunk with us that she forgot she was trying to hide it and cried?"_

" _I know... And it was all for nothin' in the end. I failed. All the pain I put her through, and I didn't even accomplish what I set out for. Aizen wasn't fooled for a second..."_

" _You really were trying to bring him down?"_

" _Since Ran-chan and I were children in the Rukongai. More than century of plottin' and schemin' and I was so sure I had him!" Gin snarled, eyes flashing open as he suddenly went rigid, turning and kicking the tree violently. "I had him!"_

" _What happened to make you hate him so much that you would leave Rangiku's side for just the chance of defeating him?"_

" _Defeat him? I wanted to destroy him. His goons attacked Ran-chan and stole a piece of her soul when I wasn't there for her! He fed a piece of her to the Hogyoku!" Gin clenched his fists, then sighed and let his arms fall limp, leaning his head against the tree. "Rangiku woulda been so much happier if I had just stayed by her side... We coulda lived out our lives in the Rukongai and I coulda kept her smilin' every day instead of seekin' vengeance..."_

" _I would have gone after him too..."_

" _Don't say that. I want ya to promise me one thing. Make her smile again. That's all I ever really wanted..." Gin cracked his eyes and stared at the other man. "Protect her. Make her smile. She likes ya. I know, I've been watchin'. You've got my blessin', as long as ya make her happy."_

" _I... I'll do my best. Her smile is enough to make the whole Seireitei a little brighter. If that was what you were fighting for... I think I can see why you did what you did."_

" _I'm glad she's got a friend like you. Oh, congrats on the promotion, Captain. Muguruma says he's proud of ya." Gin grinned and waved as he turned and began walking away into the trees. "Bye bye."_

" _Wait! Captain Muguruma is here?!" Shuhei started to run after the silver haired man, but he was already gone._

"Captain! You have a mission in the living world today, remember?" Lieutenant Kuna's voice jerked Shuhei out of his dream.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." He sat up and sat for a moment, looking at his Zanpakuto leaned against the wall where his idol and father figure's once had. "So, Captain, are you really proud of me?"

"Stop talking to yourself and get up! Captain Hitsugaya isn't going to wait all day!"

Shuhei immediately leaped to his feet. He had forgotten. He had requested that Rangiku join him on this mission. Was that why he had that dream? He shook his head and tossed on his haori, stepping out of his room and nearly tripping over his Lieutenant.

"Mashiro, don't you have paperwork you could be doing? That's why I am taking someone elses Lieutenant, remember? So that one of us is here?"

"Awww, you're no fun!" Mashiro aimed a kick at his head, which he carefully caught and redirected toward the ground. "You keep getting better!"

"Go. Do. Your. Paperwork!" Shuhei rolled his eyes and walked past her and out of the division, toward the Tenth where Rangiku was probably still sleeping. He wondered about his dream, and how odd it had felt.

 _Even if it wasn't real... You still want to make her smile, right?_

Maybe if they finished their mission early, he could take her shopping or something. That always made her smile.


	57. Chapter 57

Captain Toushiro Hitsugaya could feel his Third Seat's spiritual pressure like a bonfire coming from the next room. It was more than enough to drive him from his bed with a silent growl. He would have to teach her to suppress that before he took her on any missions where she didn't completely outclass their opponents. Then again, at the rate she was learning, he would have to launch an assault on Hueco Mundo to find anything that she could not handle with brute force.

As he neared the door, he could hear his lieutenant talking. He briefly considered trying to go back to his nap, or immediately walking in and interrupting them, but settled on crushing his spiritual pressure and leaning his ear to the door.

 _Yachiru, you were a bad influence on me..._ He smiled sadly at the thought and focused on what they were saying.

"You aren't doing anything wrong. It's just terrifying to him." His Lieutenant's words made him flinch. He was more convinced than before he didn't want to hear this.

"Why? He's been a captain for longer than I have been alive... How can a date scare him?" Karin's voice was sad but carried a certain amount of fury.

"Because he is afraid that the girls he likes all suffer. Momo was broken by Aizen. It is a miracle she ever recovered, and she has never been quite the same again. And just when he was coming to terms with the fact she would never look at him the same way again, he got close to Yachiru. She died in less than a year." Toushiro closed his eyes and tried not tho think about the pink haired girl. His Lieutenant was right. He was bad luck.

"I didn't know about Yachiru... I only met her once or twice... I came to the celebration at the end of the war. She was the Lieutenant of the Eleventh, right?" Karin's voice again. It seemed silly that anyone could _not_ know Yachiru Kusajishi.

"That's right. She was the adopted daughter of the Kenpachi of Zaraki, the captain of the Eleventh before Ikkaku. I'm sure you remember him." Rangiku's voice was lighthearted and he could only imagine the expression on Karin's face. If Yachiru was unforgettable, there were no words to describe the monster that had been Captain Zaraki.

"He must know that neither of those were his fault... He's brilliant. He can't possibly be that stupid when he is that smart." He could swear he heard the black haired girl growl like a wild animal. Rangiku's laughter could have been at the words or the growl, he couldn't tell.

"You'd think so, but he's not as mature as he would like others to think he is. He is a genius. He is powerful. He is a wise leader and a good captain. But he's still just a teenager, really. And he made himself grow up too fast. He was so busy learning the lessons of an adult that he forgot to learn the lessons of a child. But he will learn. You'll just have to be patient with him."

Toushiro smirked at that. He forgot sometimes that his Lieutenant was a deceptively observant and clever woman. Was it true? Had he missed some things when he set his sights on the Captain's seat? He couldn't deny, Yachiru had shown him a lot of joys he had missed out on, but had he learned anything from them?

"I waited eighteen years just to become a part of his division... How patient do I have to be?" Karin sounded like she was close to tears now. He sighed, straightened his haori, and brushed through the door like a ghost.

"I think you've been patient enough. Friday, as soon as the paperwork is finished." He smirked and gave his Lieutenant a single grateful glance as he made his way past the desk where Karin was working. She knew exactly what he needed to hear.

\- Line -

"Ice cream and ice skating... I should have guessed." Karin nudged the white haired man teasingly as they slid around the frozen pool. "Hey, Shiro?"

"Hm?" It took an embarrassing amount of his will power to suppress the urge to demand she use his proper name and title. If he were going to try this, he was going to do it right.

"Rangiku... She told me about Yachiru... I'm sorry. I didn't know anything bad had happened here after the war. I guess I forgot that the world is still a dangerous place, and soldiers still die..."

"It's alright, Kurosaki." He winced as she drove her fist into his shoulder. "Karin... Sorry..."

"You better be. There are more Kurosaki's than I can count now, so you're going to have to get used to using my first name or my rank, and if you call me 'Third Seat Kurosaki' while we're on a date, you are going swimming."

"I'll keep that in mind." Toushiro smiled and tugged her hand, shooting across the ice to a cluster of trees. "I want to show you something."

"What is it?" Karin rushed to keep up so her hand wouldn't pull away from his.

"You'll see." The white haired captain helped her up onto the bank, then melted the skates off their shoes. "Leave your shoes here to dry, the ground is pretty soft." He kicked off his own and then, much to Karin's surprised, tugged his captain's haori over his head and folded it neatly over a branch, leading the way into the trees.

Karin followed in silence, feeling the grass and sand of the lake's shore rapidly transition into moss and years of powdered leaves. She smiled and bounced carefully on the spongy ground. It felt like walking on cake. Toushiro led her through ever thicker trees until they suddenly opened up into a small clearing. There were book shelves leaned against a couple of trees, and two simple hammocks stretched between a few of the larger trees.

"Yachiru made this place when she first came to the Gotei 13, and spent years collecting stuff. When we started getting close, she brought me here, and I started helping her fill her shelves. Nothing valuable, just little bits and pieces from around the Seireitei. After she died, I kept coming here and kept adding to her collection. I guess it is my collection now... Here. Take a look." Toushiro walked to one of the shelves.

"This is... Really cool!" Karin looked over the shelves of stuff and smiled. "Is that one of Rangiku's empty sake bottles?"

"Mhm. Yachiru had them organized by what the things were, so one whole shelf looked like a liquor store. I rearranged everything by division instead." He picked up a small blue elastic band. "I think you'll recognize this."

"That's mine!"

"Yeah... You weren't suitably represented here, so I had to find something distinctly yours that you wouldn't really miss."

"Do you have anything of Ichigo's here?" Karin look two shelves to the left.

"Not yet. I just finished moving Captain Kyoraku and Lieutenant Ise's stuff to the First Division shelf. Any suggestions?"

"I'll get something next time I see him." Karin smiled and sat on one of the hammocks. "This is a really amazing hide away... Thank you for sharing it with me."

"I trust you. You are important to me. With Momo, all I ever did was try to protect her from a distance and wait for her to see me as more than just a child and friend. With Yachiru... Well, she kind of didn't give me much of a choice on being her friend, and then I used her as a separation from my duties as captain. If we are going to try this, I want to do it right this time. That means sharing all sides of myself with you."

"That sounds good to me. But you know, I come as a package deal with my family. Ichigo and my dad will find out soon, and you can't avoid two other captains indefinitely." Karin blushed as the white haired man sat next to her. "I can't believe we're still the same height... How did you keep up with me while I was aging at a human rate? I thought you'd be young for decades."

"When I was turned into a zombie by the Sternritter Z, it ended up draining nearly all of my spiritual pressure, and it took a long time for me to be back up to full power. For a shinigami, or any plus, aging is a function of spiritual pressure and age. I was young and had lost most of my power, so I ended up aging at a faster rate for a while. I'm mostly back to normal, but I may end up looking a year or two older than you before I settle back to my natural rhythm."

"So I'll be dating an older man? Cool." Karin leaned into his shoulder and smiled. "I always expect you to feel as cold as you did when you were recovering, but you are as warm as anyone else..."

"I'm sorry you saw me like that. I have nightmares about it, and I was barely conscious for most of it." He wrapped one arm around her waist and then fell back onto the mesh, looking up at the canopy of leaves. "It is getting late."

"Do you think Rangiku would tease you any more if we stayed out all night than if we came home at sunset?" Karin closed her eyes and tried to feel her captain's heartbeat with her fingertips. "I could definitely stay like this all night..."

"Your brother will kill me if we sleep together, even in the most appropriate possible way."

"Awww, don't worry, I'll protect you."

"I will hold you to that, Karin." Toushiro pulled her closer and placed a kiss on top of her head. "Maybe we can sneak in before noon and Rangiku will still be asleep..."

"Good plan, Captain."


	58. Chapter 58

"Five more minutes." Yoruichi rolled over, pulling the pillow over her head.

"Absolutely not. I have kept them on a flawless schedule for a century, you are _not_ sleeping in on your first day back in their command!" Soifon growled, yanking the blanket off of her partner's sleeping form. It was a testament to her self control that she didn't blush or bat an eye at the shapeshifter's naked body. "Up!"

"Awww... You're no fun, Little Bee..." The goddess of flash reluctantly sits up, yawning and dragging her fingers through her messy hair. "I remember this being the thing I hated most about being in charge..."

"It is necessary." The small woman sighed and tossed a backless uniform to her lover. "We want them running away from you, not toward you. You'll have to get dressed."

"Are you sure you wouldn't just be jealous of them looking at me?" Yoruichi gave her partner a teasing grin as she stood and stretched, slipping elegantly into the uniform. "I thought of a new approach to training that might raise moral, and get us more involved with the trainees."

"Explain." Soifon crossed her arms and watched the older woman dress.

"Well, do you remember some of the games we played when I was teaching you? It turns out they play similar versions in the human world. I've been thinking about a way to revise one of the games for training purposes, and I think I have it."

"You are avoiding the question."

"It's really hard to surprise you when you are so cleaver, Little Bee..."

"Flattery won't get you out of this." The Captain of the Second Division was not one to be distracted from her line of questioning, and so, Yoruichi had no choice. With a flash of her legendary speed, she brushed a kiss across Soifon's lips and was out the door.

"Wha..." Soifon blinked and looked down at the uniform that lay empty on the floor. " _GET BACK HERE!_ "

When Soifon arrived at the training grounds, a black cat with a cocky smirk was addressing the Stealth Force.

"The task is pretty simple. You will divide into two teams, based on your identification number. Even numbers on one side, odd numbers on the other. Lieutenant Omeada will lead the odd team, and Third Seat Saido will lead the even team. The goal of the game is simple. Each team will be assigned a target to protect, which the other team must launch a covert assault on. I will be the target of the odd team and the even team will be responsible for ensuring I am not successfully compromised. Captain Feng will be my counterpart for the other team. We will both be wearing a red scarf. Your goal is to take the target's scarf and return it to your leader first. You have one hour to organize your teams, and then the game will begin. There is no safe zone. There are no breaks. We will not make it easy for you to protect us, or to take our scarves. The losing team will subject to Captain Feng's personal brand of hell, while the winning team will earn one full day off. If neither team wins by sunset, both teams get hell. Good luck!"

The chaos was immediate. Yoruichi leaped up on to her partner's shoulder and rubbed against her cheek, purring.

"I admit, it is an interesting game. You do intend to play in human form, don't you? And the scarf will not be the _only_ thing you are wearing?"

"Silly Little Bee, of course I plan to play fairly. I never cheat when I get to make up the rules."

The game began an hour later, with the entirety of the Second Division and Stealth Force scattering across the Seireitei in search of target or subject. Soifon and Yoruichi used every trick they knew to hide and occasionally strike.

"You've been eliminated. Not a word to your teammates or opponents. You also have to watch your backs." Soifon grinned as she lay the edge of a training blade along the man's neck gently. She had suggested the addition of the secret challenge after they left the training field, and she immediately accepted the change.

By lunch time, everyone knew that there was a game underway among the Second Division. Those foolish enough to pause for a break were quickly picked off by the opposing target. Yoruichi took several close calls to eliminate members of the enemy team in sight of her own team, causing them to gasp, giving away their positions and rapidly calling down their own demise.

By dinner time, it was being called the Reckless Treasure Game. You had to protect a valuable asset that insisted on endangering itself. Soifon narrowed her eyes at her friend when she realized that the game was based off of their former struggle of protecting Ichigo from Aizen's hypnosis when the young man wanted nothing more than to rush into his enemies teeth.

The sun was setting and all the members of the division were getting desperate. Soifon and Yoruichi were sitting side by side in the shadow of the division entry way, breathing silently, their spiritual pressure crushed down to nearly nothing. A flicker of movement caught the captain's eye.

 _Think we should give them till the sun begins to set, or until it is completely set?_ Yoruichi raised an eyebrow after a series of subtle motions. If her friend had not committed every twitch of every finger to memory, the message would have been lost to the shadows.

 _Till is is set completely. But we should tell them it is over when it begins. If any of them have the balls to snatch our scarves while we are addressing them, they can have their victory._ Soifon grinned at the shapeshifter and let her hands fall back to a ready stance.

The time came and they stood at the head of the training area, waiting as the teams assembled. The last stragglers piled in and Soifon began.

"Dreadful. That was a shameful display. From now on, we will be playing this game every other day. The reward or punishment of the games will be redeemed the following day. Until further notice, there will be no other vacation days allowed. You will win your days off, or you will get better. For now, expect tomorrow to be the worst day of your liv... Yoruichi?" Soifon stared in open mouthed shock at her friend, who was dangling the captain's scarf from her fingertips and smirking. "You... Damn. Even team, you are off the hook for tomorrow. Don't expect that trick to work again!"

Yoruichi could only laugh as half the division broke in to cheers.

"One last announcement! The rules are subject to our changes at the beginning of each game! Exploit what you can, when you can, but don't expect to get away with it twice!" The goddess of flash hung the two scarves over a nail and then took her partner's hands. "Get some sleep tonight, odd team. You're gonna need it!"

When they were safely behind locked doors, Soifon allowed herself to smile.

"I should have expected you to do that."

"Yeah, you should have. But I knew I could get away with it once. My team will be confident, and your team will be trying three times as hard, and you'll win the next game. It will set the program off to a good start, alternating wins. It will keep them excited, if they know anyone can win."

"You're right. It was a good strategy. I can see why you were such a successful captain, and such a good teacher."

"Now who's flattering who?"


	59. Chapter 59

" _Feh feh pi goh!_ " The short woman growled to herself as she sprinted along the empty sidewalk. Of course it was empty. Class started almost five minutes ago. She threw herself through the outer doors of the largest academic building and forced herself to take a moment to make herself presentable.

She was barely breathing hard, but her hair, which she had only tied back in her rush to get ready had half escaped its confinement. She tugged her fingers through it and settled for a ragged pony tail since she was far too short of time to braid it properly. After straightening her shirt and skirt, she adjusted her backpack on her shoulder and made her way at a brisk walk to her first class.

She hated being late. Generally, she would rather skip class than be even one minute late, but today was her first day of college, and she was not going to miss it. She opened the door as quietly as she could, happy to find that the classroom was situated to face away from the door. The professor gave her a brief glance, but did not comment as she took her seat.

"Good morning class! My name is Professor Kanae Ishida. I teach freshman and sophomore biology, and my husband teaches junior and senior biology. Today, I would like to start with introductions, then I will have you complete a brief evaluation and you should all be able to leave early." The teacher smiled and then gestured to the front row.

"I'm Orihime Inoue! It's very nice to meet you all!" She looks around. "Uh… Should I add anything else? Oh! I love to cook!" She smiles brightly and either does not notice or completely ignores the green tinge which appears on the faces of two of her classmates.

"I'm Uryu Ishida, and yes, the same Ishida. My parents are both professors here." Uryu pointedly does not make eye contact with his mother or his smirking friend. "I am very accomplished in competitive archery."

"I am Nemu Kurotsuchi. My older brother is a senior here as well." The girl seems to be finished for a moment, before adding on. "I speak fluent English, Japanese, German, and Spanish."

"H-Hi… I'm Hanataro Yamada… My older brother graduated last year, but we do not have much in common." He shifts nervously, looking around at the mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces. "I've been working at the Kurosaki Clinic for the past four years as a sort of all around helper, and I hope to be able to take a more active roll after this year, as I hope to become a doctor in the future."

"Hey. Ichigo Kurosaki. My parents are both teachers here as well. I went to high school with Uryu and Orihime." The orange haired young man scratches his head. "Oh, yeah. My hair is naturally this color, not dyed."

"I'm Chizuru Honsho, and I went to high school with Orihime as well." The red headed girl grinned and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "She is still resisting my feminine charms, but I think i'm making progress."

"I'm Kiyone Kotetsu. I have an older sister here as well." The short girl thinks for a moment. "I can sleep anywhere. I've even slept on top of kitchen cabinets before."

It was her turn. She swallowed and stood. "My name is Sui Feng. I learned to speak Spanish before I learned to speak Chinese." She quickly sat and sighed in relief as the room turned back to face the front.

"Alright, this is not for a grade. It is just so I know where you all stand, and what I need to review the most. Do your best, and if you don't know an answer, don't worry. I hope to make sure that you do by the time this course is over." Professor Ishida handed out the papers and then went back to her desk.

The class slowly began trickling from the room as they completed the evaluations. Sui Feng began to worry she would be the last one in the room when it came down to just her and the short haired girl to her left. Kiyone proved to be a moment slower, as the chinese girl delivered her paper to the front desk and slipped out the door.

Now was what she had been waiting for since she had been accepted to the academy. She made her way to the locker room, still deserted as the previous class had not yet let out. She changed and left her belongings in a locker, then peaked her head out on to the field.

A smile spread over her face as she caught sight of the golden eyed goddess. She dashed out toward her, determined to make it within arms reach without giving away her position. However, true to form, Yoruichi Shihoin was not so easily surprised and spun at the last moment to catch the smaller girl in a tight embrace.

"Little Bee! I missed you!" Yoruichi squeezed her close for a moment before letting her step away and breath. "What are you doing out here? Don't you have class?"

"We got out early for the first day." Sui Feng grinned. "And guess what? I passed out of freshman level Track and Martial Arts. I get a free period and I get to jump straight into the sophomore Track slot!"

"That's incredible! I'm so proud of you!" The two were all smiles. The older girl had barely seen her young companion in the last two years. With Sui Feng in high school, and then both working separate jobs during the summer, spending time together had been a rare luxury. Now, though, they were both attending the academy together. "Let me introduce you to a couple of my classmates!"

Sui Feng followed obediently, fingers intertwined with her Goddess's. She was led to a pair of girls, one was an inch taller than her while the other was significantly shorter. Did Yoruichi have a thing for short girls? She'd have to ask sometime…

"Sui, this is Hiyori Sarugaki and Mashiro Kuna. We've shared a lot of classes together in the last couple of years. Girls, this is Sui Feng!"

"Oh my gosh! Yoruichi's told us so much about you! We sorta thought she made you up as an excuse not to date anyone, but here you are! Is it true you're almost as fast as she is?! How do you do it? You have to be amazing to keep up with her without having legs that are, like, a bazillion feet long!" The taller girl's mouth continued moving, but the blonde had clamped a hand over the cavern and muffled most of the words.

"She's a little… Excitable. S'nice to meet ya." Hiyori said, eyebrow twitching as she glared up at her friend.

"It's nice to meet you both as well. How long does she usually keep going?" Sui Feng asked, turning to look at Yoruichi, then freezing as she catches sight of a half forgotten tuft of sky blue hair. "No way..."

"What's up, Little Bee?" Yoruichi asked, turning to follow her partner's gaze. "Oh, that guy? Don't worry about him. He's an ass, but he doesn't really bother us most of the time. Sui, are you okay?"

Sui Feng takes off at a sprint that leaves the three women staring in confusion. She slides to a stop and takes a deep breath. " _Ni hao ma, Ghuh-ghuh?_ "

The figure turns in a heartbeat, eyes wide. Then a huge grin splits his face as she snatches her up and spins in a circle, hugging her as tightly as her Goddess had moments before. "Shaolin! Holy shit, when did you get here?!"

"Today! Now put me down, I'm not a stuffed animal!" She tries to sound reprimanding even as her own smile increases. "I could ask you the same thing! I never thought I would see you again, much less here!"

" _Hijo de la chingada madre,_ Shaolin, you're one to talk! You went and got adopted and I never heard a word from you again! I thought you must have moved to China or something!" He sets her down and steps back, but keeps his hands on her shoulders. "You got taller. I don't think I could use you for a foot stool anymore."

" _Hwen dan_. How was I supposed to contact you? I was a 14 year old orphan and I hadn't even met the people who were adopting me. It's not like we had cell phones or anything." She bites her lip and looks up at him. "I _am_ sorry… I should have found a way to keep in touch. I've really missed you, Grimmjow..."

"Hey, _Fang xin_. Don't go getting all emotional on me!" The blue haired man shook her gently.

"Where did the others end up? Are they all here too?" She looked around, trying to catch sight of any of her old friends, but Grimmjow shook his head.

"Shawlong, Edrad, and Nakeem were adopted a year after you, and I haven't seen them since. Yylfordt is here, along with his little brother. And Di Roy… He died, Shaolin. It was down to just the three of us left, and he snapped. Went out and picked a fight with a gang of punks and from what I could tell, he just lay back and let them beat him to death..." He looks away. "He thought Yylfordt and I were gonna leave him, cause he didn't get accepted into the academy. He never told us he was afraid, but we should have known."

"Dead… _Ta ma duh_ … _Sha gwa_..." She steps forward and leans her forehead against his chest. "It's not your fault, Grimm. I'm the one who left…"

"Hey! Don't even think about blaming yourself! We were the ones who were there and should have protected the _pinche idiota_ from his fear and his own dumbass self. We're the ones who fucked up, not you."

"Hey, Sui, you know this guy?" Yoruichi's voice made Sui Feng jerk slightly, having almost forgotten the entire reason she had been out on the field so early. She looked around and frowned at the daggers the taller woman was glaring at the man who still held her shoulders.

"Yeah, we were in the orphanage together for… About eight years. He was my best friend for all of them. My only friend for a lot of them..." She looked back at him to find he was returning the same glare to her partner. "You two… Don't care for each other… This is going to make my life just a basket of fun, isn't it?"

She went mostly ignored as the two glared at each other. A booming voice caught the attention of all three before the glaring could turn to more physical expressions of dislike.

"Underclassmen, get over here and stay out of the upper upperclassmen's way! First period is not over yet!" The instructor was a beast of a man with a mane of golden hair and almost pointed ears. He looked like he might have a little bit of werewolf in his family tree. Sui Feng looked between her two friends.

"I… Guess I'll see you later. Both of you. Please don't kill each other..." She frowned, then ran off to the group that was beginning to congregate around the towering man.

"Oh, Sajin, it's the first day! If they want to catch up with old acquaintences, I see no harm in it!" A small, athletic, and brightly smiling woman nudged the larger man. Sui Feng immediately liked her. "Class dismissed! You can stay and talk till the period is over, then you all need to beat it so Komamura can begin his class!"

"Yes Coach Kurosaki!" The third year students shouted, most bolting for their next class, while Yoruichi and Grimmjow approached her. She swallowed.

"Yo, Shaolin, I've got Bio III with Ishida next, and the _pendejo_ assigned summer homework. I gotta run. You going to be okay? I'm in the dorm just across the road. Apartment seven. It's the bigger one on the end. Knock on the door then hide in the bushes to see if I answer. If its one of my roommates, you should come back later. They… Are definitely an acquired taste." Grimmjow gave Sui Feng one last hug, Yoruichi one last glare, then sprinted off for the academic buildings that Sui Feng had just come from.

"Shaolin?" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow, clearly not pleased by the display of affection.

"Yeah… I guess I probably never told you… My birth name was Shaolin Feng. I signed all of my official documents with my grandmother's name so that no one would give me a hard time for being underage, and it ended up becoming too official to back out of…" She looked at the ground and sighed. "It never seemed important. The only people who knew me by my birth name were the other orphans. I left it behind when your family took me in."

"It's… Alright, Little Bee. It was just… Weird. I alwys thought I was the only one you opened up to. It was a shock seeing you let someone else lay a finger on you without breaking the whole arm."

"He's my brother in everything but blood, Yoruichi. The seven of us were a family..." She remembered the news of Di Roy's death and clenched her eyes. "One of our friends died… He was afraid of being left alone when everyone else was adopted or accepted here and he went and got himself killed."

Yoruichi pulled her into a tight hug. "It'll be okay, Sui. You're not alone. Anything you need, I'm here for you. And… I guess so is he."

"Yoruichi… Are you jealous? Of a _guy_?!" Sui Feng could not help but snicker behind her hand. "You are!"

"I am _not_!" The golden eyed goddess stomped her foot with a huff. "Hey… Is he who you learned Spanish from?"

"Mhm. His parents were from Peru, and when he came to the orphanage, that was all he spoke. He taught me and I taught him. Then we both went and learned some Chinese together." The shorter girl grinned. "We both know some pretty colorful language now..."

"Like what? Why have I never heard you swearing in Chinese or Spanish before? You could be making up sounds and I'd have no idea.

"You should call Grimmjow a _qing wa cao de liu mang._ He'd fall over laughing." Sui Feng giggled and kissed her partner's cheek. "Class is about to start, you probably need to get changed."

"Wait, what did you say?! You can't just not tell me!" Yoruichi glanced at her watch. "Hurry! Professor Aizen is nuts about punctuality!"

"Nope!" The short woman waved happily as her girlfriend took off. She turned to take in her class mates, all of whom were a year older than her. They were divided into two groups. One was composed of three tough looking guys and a very tall and awkward girl. The other consisted of one tattooed man and two girls who he appeared to be flirting with. She walked over to the group of four, uninterested in being flirted with, and even more uninterested in being ignored and having her ego stomped. "Hey."

"Hey, you're that freshman that qualified to jump ahead to our class, right?" The one she presumed was the leader asked, running a hand over his shining bald head. She had to crane her head back to look up at him. He was nearly as tall as Grimmjow. In addition to being bald as a billiard ball, he also had dark red markings at the outer corners of his eyes. She could not tell if they were make up or tattoos.

"Y-yeah. I'm Sui Feng. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Ikkaku Madarame. The guy with the tattooed eyebrows and red pineapple on his head is Renji Abarai, and the mohawk is Bazzard Black, but we all call him Bazz-B. The beautiful lady gracing us with her presence is my girlfriend, Isane Kotetsu." Ikkaku gave the woman in question a gentle smile which seemed at odds with everything else about him.

"Kotetsu… Do you have a younger sister in the freshman class?" A nod. "I met her last period. She is in my Bio I class!"

"People say we are not very much alike..." Isane smiled shyly. "You know some of the upperclassmen?"

"I grew up with one of them, and I am sort of dating another one of them… I had no idea Grimmjow was going to be here until today. I hadn't seen him for years."

"Woah, you grew up with Jaegerjaques?! That man is incredible with a sword! There are only a handful of people in our dojo who can keep pace with him. I feel sorry for whoever is in his Kendo class." Ikkaku shook his head. "Do you know where he learned to fight like that?"

"No, he's always been that way. He said it was thanks to his Incan warrior blood. I think he just used to get into a lot of fights before I met him." Sui Feng smiled fondly. "He always looked out for the rest of us though, even if he complained about it the whole time. Do you know those three well?" She gestured at the man and the two women he was flirting with.

"The guy's name is Shuhei Hisagi. He's the second in command of the school new bulletin. He looks like a punk, but he's a good guy. The girl with the offensively pink hair is Meninas McAllon. She's a bit ditzy, but mostly harmless. The one with the green hair is a bit of a psycho, which is why none of us are playing wingman for him." Ikkaku explained. "She tazed her last boyfriend just minutes after sleeping with him as her way of breaking up. You can guess _where_ she tazed him."

"Oh… Jeez, that seems a bit uncalled for… Did he cheat on her or something?" Sui Feng had a hard time imagining many situations where she would be _that_ cruel to an ex lover.

"Nope. She said she liked a necklace while they were out shopping, and he didn't buy it for her. Turns out, he actually _had_ bought it for her, he was saving it for her birthday." Renji chuckled. "Poor idiot."

"Alright, everyone, line up and sound off!" The large man called out. Immediately, the class jumped into formation along a painted line, Sui Feng quickly find a spot between Isane and Renji. "Renji!"

"Here!" The redhead called back.

"Bazzard!"

"Nope. Just Bazz-B." The man with the mohawk complained.

"Candice!"

"Here." The woman barely gave him a glance before she turned her gaze back to Shuhei at her side.

"Sui!"

"Here!" She called out.

"Shuhei!"

"Here!" He was looking nervously at the girl next to him, no fully leering at him.

"Isane!"

"Here!" The tall girl seemed more comfortable being addressed by someone taller than her.

"Ikkaku!"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Meninas!"

"Present!"

"Alright, lets get to it!"

For the next hour and a half, they were run ragged, stretching their bodies to the limit. Sui Feng was happy to find she was the second fastest, and only because she had no hope of matching the length of Isane's strides.

Feh feh pi goh = Baboon's ass crack

Ni hao ma = How are you?

Ghuh-ghuh = Big bro

Hijo de la chingada madre = Son of a fuckin' bitch

Hwen dan = bastard/jerk

Fang xin = Don't worry

Ta ma duh = dammit

sha gwa = fool

pinche idiota = fuckin' idiot

pendejo = jackass

qing wa cao de liu mang = Frog humping son of a bitch


End file.
